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

~ orld Records Canadian Aeros pilot an!dealetsMWi~ Henry set a new 1001$:m g;iangle speed record on !'Ii$ Sleek': §'TE~VfH 151. ~' Congi;atulations to Maliin. •

Personal Bests: · In the spring: Bo Hagewood ,betarne th.e fu:st l)ilot to ever fly from Kitty Hawk Kite's t1ightparl<; 0n thi mainland - across the sound

.al~ lau.q on}he ~arrier islands. Bo aid tm'in a S(OCK STEALTH w. In the ~ at)~ Wsumm~r, Sunny Veneskv beGame .the second to do thls,ancI Janoed just past the Wright Bx;od)'.cr's Mo~ meut - only 2 miles shol't' Of fodkey's Ridge State Park. Sunn~ did this on a STEALTH KPL. Cong,rats to both of these fel-

lows.

. Eoreign M airs To put it "in the words of one Ukrainian economist: "Ukr~it:i.e is

NOT Russia !'' With the poor performance of the Russiil,n.rouble, a number of people have asked how thi§ affects Aeres. Wllile being a close neighbor as weU as a former republik, Lhe Ukraine has a completely separate economy from Russia. That of course is

not to say that complete collapse of the Russian economy wouldn't have ANY impact on Ukraine,

but, as of this writing, Ukraine's monetary unit, the hryvnia is holding it's value and should continue to do so. Aeros' trade is based on U.S. Dqllars.

When U.S. Aeros president G.W. Meadows and vice president Sunny Venes!cy visited rhe

Aeros factory earlier this year, they found a bustling well 1un factory with people h.i.ppy to do their jobs. With up to 50 employees at any given time. the Aeros facto-

ry, now in it's 7th year is a pe1fect example of cfficienS111111y and Sergey "ser" rile cross spars on Cl

prodiiction STEALTH at the Aeros FactOI); by eoch of them hang mg their full we1ph1ar rhe crossbarlleadmg edge }w1c11011

cy. The designers are on the cutting edge of flex wing .

design and the factory workers are trained at a state run aeronautics "conmmnity college". But then again, one look at an Aeros glider wiJl tell you that!

(USPS 017-970-20- ISSN 0895-433X)

20 Better Launches And Landings: Step By Step article and illustrations by Greg Shaw First in a series of articles on a program by Pat Denevan.

24 (It's A) Swamp Thang by Tiki Mashy Michael "Hollywood" Champlin flies deep into the Florida Everglades for a new 167-mile Florida state record.

34 Book Review: Harry And The Hang Glider by Claire Pagen and Mark Sawyer A new kid's book about the sport that adults will enjoy as well.

42 Hang Gliding Interviews: Denise Lindquist by Jim (Sky Dog) Palmieri Hang gliding's flying troubadour.

Columns

Departments

Accident Reports .................................. 50

Airmail .............................. ... ..... .. ........... 4

USHGA Directos List.. ........................ 37

Calendar of Events .................. .. ........... 10

Product Lines, by Dan Johnson ......... 63

Update ................... ...... ................ ......... 15 Ratings .................. .... .............. ...... ....... 27 Classified Advertising .................. ........ 53 Index to Advertisers ............................. 62

OCTOBER 1998

Gil Dodgen, M,1nc1sin8 Editor/Editor in Chief 0Jvc l'ounds, Art Virei:tor John Heiney, Gerry Charlebois, Bettina Gray, Leroy Grannis, Mark Vaughn, Oob Lowe Photographers H.trry Marlin, 11/usl!.itor Dennis Pagen, Mark Siucky, Geoff Mumford, G.W. Meadows, Jim l'almieri, Staff Writers OtiiceSti!ff Phil Bad,man, Executive Director, phbachman@ushga.org Jeff Elg,1rt, Adve,tising, jjelgart@ushga.org Kart:n Simon, Acnmnling, kl~imun@ushga.org Elaine Elgart, Web Administrator, emelgart@llshga .org Natalie Hinsley, Merchandise Se1vices, njhinsley@ushga.org John Halloran, Adr11i1 1i, 1r~live Dimr1nr jgl 1,1lloiar1@ushg;i.org

US/ !CA Officers ,1nd E'xecutiVe Committee: G.W. M eadows, /-'resident Bill Bryden, Vice Presidem Russ Locke, Secretary

Geoff Mumford, t ,e,i.,urer REG ION 1; Bill Bolosky, Steve Roti . REGION 2 : Russ Locke, Ray Leonard, Scott Gasparian. REGION 3: Ken Bui1·r, T,.1mrny Burf',>r, Gregg I uwlc~;s. RFGION 4: M,1rk Ferguson, Jim Zeiset . REGIONS: Frank G ill ette . REG ION 6: Jeff Si n ason. REG ION 7 : Bill Bryd en . ~~c;r()N B: ~anrly Adams. ~ECION 9: l'ete Lehmann, Geoff Mumford. REGION 10: C .W . M eadow s, Matt Taber. RCGION 11: Dave Broyles. RCGION 12: Paul Voighl. L>IRtC I O KS A I LAl<CI:: bl f'ilrnan, Paul l<ikerl, Dan Johnson, Jan Johnson, Dennis Pa3en . HONORARY D IR CCTO RS: Chris D u pau l, Bob I la nn ah, Gene 1\.lallhews, Lars Linde, Alan Chuculale, , Ken Brown, Sandy Kin& M il<e ,\.1eier, Rob Kells, David C lover, Paul Klemond, G regg McNamee, Michael Robertson, Greg DeWolf. Tracie Fifer-Welch. EX-OFFICIO D IRECTO RS: Art G rcpnfif.'lu (NAA). The United States Hang Gliding Association Inc. is an .iir $porl !-o o rg,miLn l ion affil i,ifed wil h t i n• N illion nl Aeronautic Association (NAA) w hich is (li e official representative of the f ede rati on Aeronautique lnternalionale (FAI), of the world govem ing body for sµurt .iviatiun. The NM, w hich represents the U.S. at FAI meetings, has delegated to the USHGA supervision o f FAl-related hang gliding activities such as record altemµb and cumµctition sanctions. HANG G LIDING magazine is published for hang gliding sµo, t e11Lhusi,1:,t:, tu create further intere:,t in the sport, and to provide an educational forum to advanc;e hang glid ing methods and safely. Contributions are welcome. Anyone ,s invited to cont11bute a, Lick'S, pho tos, ~nd ill ustrations coni;erning hang glidin8 activities. If the material is to be returned. a stamped, self-addressed return e,welope must be enclosed. Notification must be made o f subrnis.'>irn 1 to 01her hang glid ing publications. HANG GLIDING maeaz.ine reserves the right to edit contributions where necessary. The Association and publication do not assume respo nsibilily fm ti n~ 111;Jtl'rial nr ()pinions of contributors. HANC GLIDING editorial offices: 31441 Santa Margarita Pkwy., Suite A-256 1 Rancho Santa Margarila, CA Y261ll!, phone (949) /l/18nfi·t fax (949) 888-7464, C ilDoclgen@ao Lcom . The USI IGA is a member-controlled spo,1 organization dedicated to the exploration and rirnmotion of all facets of unpowcred ultralight flighr, and to the educatio n, training and safety oi its membership . Membership is open to anyone interested m this realm of fl ight. Dues for full rrn,mlwrship are $54 per year (of wh ich $15 goes to the publication o f Hang Gliding), ($ 65 nonUSA}; subscriptio n rates only are $35 ($4b non-lJSA). ( h; 111g••s uf address s hrn, l.rl bt' sent si x weeks i n advance, including name, USH GA number, previous and new address, and a mailing label from a recent iS!tU f! .

HANG GLIDING OSSN 0895-433xJ is published monlh ly by the United StJtes Hang G liding Assrn:i;1lion, Inc ., 559 E. Pikes Peak J\ve., Suite 101, Colqrado Springs, Colorado 80903-3657 (7 19) 632-8300. FAX. (719) 632 -6417. PERIODICA L POSTAGE is pa id 0 1 Coloro1do Springs, CO and at add itional mail ing offices. POSTMASTER : SEND CHANGE OF ADDRESS TO: HANG GLIDING, P.(). 8(.)X 1330, Colorndo Springs,

co 8090'1 -1330.

O crOBER '1998 V OLUME 28, ISSUI: N o. 10

~ Air Mail SKYWINGS HG/PG CORRECTION

THE DEATH OF HANG GLIDING?

Dear Editor, I would be a shame if USHGA members' views on Ll1e inclusion of paragliding material in Hang Ufiding were colored by Warren Groom's factually-inaccurate comments on the !Jricish experience. The Uritish free fligh t magazine 5'kywin1;s has covered both hang gliding and paragliding for almost 10 years, during wh ich rime rhe British paragliding commu niry has grown ro outnumber i.rs hang gl iding brorhers and sisrers by a facco r of 2 : I. A glance through the lase few issue.~ of Skywings shows a rough parity between hang gliding and paragliding articles, buc also a high proporrion of arriclcs addressing boch sides of chc spon. It is manifcscly untrue char Skywings has been cakcn over Gy the paragli<ling community. Tes editor for the last six years i:; an ar<lent hang glider pilol who finds himself continually surprised by Lhe quality and strength of hang gliding submissions from such a heavily outnumbered sector of UK free fliers. T here are, no doubt, scill Skywings readers who don't read articles relating to paragliding, and I suspect 'Warren Groom is among chem, but it is their loss. Whether we fl y hang gliders or paragliders or both, we are pilots first and lase and we live co fly. Oespire my years in chc game I'm still hungry to learn everything I can about the sky and ic:; inhabitants. If Hang Gliding readers are able to learn from paraglidcr pilots and to share their uwn cunsiderable wisdom with them, everyone wins, and gets a bigger, better, more prosperous magazine in the bargain. Our experience in Britain with a joint magazine is very positive indeed.

Dear Edicor, Hang gliding is on che way out. Ir is sad but probably rrue. "Never!" you say. Unfortunately, all the seeds are planred aud here are tht: reasons char I say this. As I look at che once active pilots who now uo Jouger Hy, I :;ee a trail uf people who, for Lhe most part, could uot resist the tempcation to buy that new, hot glider chat their idol flew so well and that won so many meets. So they buy it, go charging out to the mountain knowing rhey will now be world beaters, get trashed in some mrbu lence, and land talking :ihour how rhey loved their new glider whi le r;i rional izing in their minds, "I'll gee used t0 it in ;i few Aigh rs." The next rime they fly, rhere is a lirrlt> residual feeling of negative anciciparion abom whac chcy arc going ro encounter in chc air. Little by lirtlc chc joy of flight is ero<led. Then che excuses begin: they are busy with cheir kids; chcir job is caking coo much cime for chem ro fly; chcir wife/h usban<l/buyfrien<l/girlfricnd/moch er/dog due:;n't wane chem cu fly; etc. The simple fact is Lliat the juy has gone our of flying. Talk in the LZ for the last few months is all about how hang glid ing is going to be totally different in a few years because of che wondrous performance of the Exxtacie.s, Millenniums, and the grear topless gliders. Everybody's going to wane one. How could anyone possibly wane co fly anything "less"? Will pilots he ahle co resisr rhe rn 1Tor of' rhe newest fash ion wich. awesome speed and cop-of-the-pack sink race? (Ignoring for the momem chc face chac ic may cake cwo peuple tu get the thing on or off your car and over a half-huur tu sec up, and it really doesu't thermal any better.) l fear that, for many, the temptation will be overwhelming, au<l probably half of them will ultimately quiL flying because it won't be worth Lhe hassle, and they will have forgotten the pleasure thaL c.1 me fr.om working a the.nmJ as well as possible and having gone as far as che conditions and the glider allowed. T he second reason that hang gliding

Joe Schofield Editor, Skywings Sheffield, England

HANG G LIDING

I WANT IT ALL ... . . . SOAR T H E MOUNTAIN .. . AUTUMN COLORS ... FLY TANDEM

... SUNSET AEROTOW ... FRIENDS AT THE BONFIRE ... SLEEP IN THE LZ CABINS DREAM .. . DO IT AGAIN ... THE PLACE FOR SERIOUS FUN . www.hanglide.com • fly@han g l i d e.com

800.688. LM FP

1ust Fly Aviation Gear

1125 Ha.rborview Dr. Kill Devil Hills. N .C. 27948

919 480 3552 919 480 0117 fax

--~~~~~~~~~~-·············· .....•.... website: justfly.com I e mc:dl:J'usttly@inter~c:ith.com

~ Air Mail will <lie is more obvious. T his pasc winccr l did ~ome research on where our flying mernbers come Crom, and which instructors had coutriGuted die most to our current membership. The results were sent co rhe USHGA 11oard of Directors and posted i11 che newsletter chat goes to instructors in the "l lang Gliding lnstn.1ctor's 1:orum." Any who care to can sec an abbreviated version at

hrrp://W\vw.angd.£.re.com/o./mstructor/pie.htrnl The l iSHCA is going ro make it harder ;incl more cosrly to become a Basic Jnstrucror. We need pilors ;incl instructors to teach chem, and in 27 states there arc t'.VO or fewer instructors, and in 17 sraccs there arc none at all. So what will the effect be of making it more cosdy to become an instructor? After next year, we will probably no longer be able ro train and create instructors and will have to pay to have it do ne. Should we do it? Will we do it? Some say char "o ur" hang gliding image is what is keeping hang gliding from growing. Some say that if we were ro :-ippear more professional we would :mracr many more people. Maybe that is (.~omewha r) rrue, buc reducing the n umber of instructo r~ will definitely hurt us, and if yo u combine that with pilor loss from che lemming effecr thar urge~ pi lots inco gliders rhey don'r enjoy fl yi ng, we :ue going to bec.:ome exrincr. Ben Davidson Winsted, CT

"WHY CAN'T WE GET A HANDLE ON THIS SAFETY

THING" COMMENTS FROM !\NOLD-TIMER Dear Ediror, I've bumped into Mike Meier over rhe years and always rhought he was kind of a disram, scoie sore of guy. Tguess people who chink a lor like M ike doe!I are sometimes seen rhar way. This was a rerrifk article. The no-breaking-a-downrubc srandard Mike recommends is a scan. However, if our thinking auouc safety (especially concern ing the quality of risk decisions) was similar co chat required in commercial avi-

arion by the major airlines - way beyond Mike's srandard of nor breaking a downcube in five years as a minimum - chere woul<ln'r be any dcachs in chc spore from causes relace<l co flying. A few of my hang gliding friends and acquaintances have <lied over che years. My buddy Duane was killed at Torrs:y Pines after tuning up an Owl my company made for his girlfriend. He apparently left a ring our of a curnbuclde. I was probably the lase person 13ob Patterson was serni-conscious of before he eventually died of jaundice back in Colorado, after augering-in at Point Fermin in h is Su n TV Jim Hocker hammered into the ground in his C handelle Standard and <lied of heart t.1ilure ;it :1 flyi ng site I was the first to fly in Lyons, Colorado. I've had several ;iccidents myself. T lost six teeth flying in 55-mph wi nds behind the north face ar Torrey Pines 22 years ago. I broke my thumb on Lookout Mountain Lil Colden, Colorado, doing a 360 too close co the hill. l cut my chin open on a pebble at Torrey, spinning in after dodging a spectator in the LZ. l've gotten our of some too. I put "negative deflexors" on my Albatross Sails ASG-21 a week before Steven McCarroll filmed me being knocked .inverted in a th understorm at a Hang G lider Manufactmers lnvitarional in Telluride. There have probably been other incidents in which I don't know co chis day how lucky I was ro escape alive.. l can'r speak for those I knew who are dead, bur in every case Twas doing at lease one srupidly risky thing. T he only rhing in Mike's wonderful anide I disagree wirh, is that after ignoring the percemages and learning to continue making more and more risky decisions umil finally a dose call occu rs, " ... If J'm unlucky, I'm dead. " It's not chat I disagree wich his point - it's j ust che word "unlucky." Luck is iuvolve<l when the number of variables in your equation are more than your ability co calculace the percentages. I'll bet Mike !mows chis. And I agree with Mike. Why screw with the variables you can deal with. Hutchinson Persons Mcsa,AZ

'',.Jt's COO( thAt vYellie wor, the

ecc

d1m ,-.,on ..,SAnd1A, Chris won~;.,, tl!}t Alld fhe v'fAtionAls, t)!}ichAel set the JtoridA record Aod 'fJete the eAstern

re9io,,Al r(!cord, All usin9 7nn9onts, but -it's reAll:, cool tl,At 7An9er,t customors Are All so pleAsed. ,.Some pilots WA.X evAn9elicAl.

7he 7nn9ent ..fli9ht Computer just seen,s to SAtisf!I sel'iou& pilots.

c,i\re 9ou serious About !four fuo?

IC::RREJ>

News magazine - ISSN35

+ 6000 hang gliders sold

Manired's triumph at Dinosaur Manfred gets first place in the U.S. Nationals held at Dinosaur, Colorado by winning each of the 6 tasks flown! Not only that, in the total combined scores, he even beat the rigid wings! Total combined results: Manfred Ruhmer David Sharp Oleg Bondarchuck Jim Zeiset Chris Arai

1" 2"d 3,d 4th 5th

Laminar ST Exxtacy (rigid wing) Stealth Exxtacy Fusion

lcaro pilots are flying excellent again this season I Last update: PUCE COMPETITION

PILOT

I sr Hitachi International Cup - Japan I" Hitachi International Cup/Women - Japan I" Speed Gliding WHGS - Greece I sT Cross Country WHGS - Greece

Manfred Ruhmer Franr;oise Mocellin Manfred Ruhmer Gerolf Heinrichs Gero if Heinrichs Andre Wolf Allan Barnes Carlos Niemeyer

2'" German Open - Austria I sT British League 2nd Round - Italy 2'1l British League 2nd Round - Italy 3"[) British League 2nd Round - Italy

New Intermediate Glider! Laminar EZ: we have developed and successfully tested our new intermediate model; it was certified by the DHV on April. It is the Laminar EZ 14, the first glider of the intermediate series, this size is for medium weight pilots, like a Laminar R or ST 13, you will find the technical data below. We have already started flying the first prototype of the Laminar EZ 15, and as soon as we have finished developing these two models, we will start working on our Laminar EZ 20 - our first tandem glider belonging to the Laminar series.

Description ICARO 2000, aiming at completing its spread of models, ranging from the Mars to the Laminar R & ST, introduces its new intermediate glider, a mid-point between the Mars and the LaminarR. This latest developement is the right choice for the pilots who: • are looking to get more flight hours in order to gain experience and become adavanced rated • don't need a competition glider to fly around during their free time; who like better a light, stable and easy to handle glider. As usual with every ICARO glider its frame is entirely made of the best tubes available, produced in aluminium alloy 7075 by Alumenziken, the well known Swiss factory.

Sail design concepts: sail rips in Dacron, to ensure stable profile of the outer wing Icaro confirms its commitment •• aspect ratio almost equal to the LaminarR, to offer good performance to Quality without compromises • reduced number of battens

Even after knowing that some of our competitors have begun a price reduction battle, in a desperate attempt to fight back Aero 'slow prices, we have decided not to play their game. This is a hopeless strategy, because their reduced price is still - 700$ higher than Aeros '! We will not compete on this basis but rather continue, and improve, our commitment to QUALITY. A negative impact on our sales is possible but on the long run we all know that quality prevails. We will keep using only the best materials: i.e. Aluminium 7075 tubes from Alumenziken-Swiss, instead of the 2024 used by Aeros; the best sailcloth lines offered by Dimension Polyant and Contender. last but not least, our extensive research and development programs, including new testing and certification for Laminar 13 and 14 ST-Mylar versions. All of the above is the value of the money you spend on a Laminar; and it's definitely worth it!

Tech Data Sail Area Nose Angle Wingspread Aspect Ratio Double Surface Area Battens (Upper + Lower Sail) Weight (Packing Bag Not Included) Clip-In Pilot W!!ight (Min/Max) Packing Bag Length Short-Packed Length CERTIFICATION

u.m. sq m sq ft deg m ft

14.5 156.08 127° 10.3 33'79" 7.3 % 80 n 17+4 kg 28 61.73 lb kg 65/95 143/209 lb 5,20 m 17' I" ft 4 m ft 13'12" DHV# MZL 01-333-98

ICARO 2000 srl - Via Verdi, 19 - 21038 Sangiano (Va) - Italy - Tel. +39-0332-648335 - Fax 648079

www.icaro2000.com - E-Mail: staff@icaro2000.com

L14EZ

Parl!!. William!!.

Sandia Classic ...................... . .. . 9th U.S. Nationals (3rd American) ............. 9th Wild West Championship .............. .. 5th Aspen Freestyle ........................ 4th World Aerobatics Championships ......... 1st !ite11e Rewallnsld

Cosmos Classic

I st

Owens Masters

I st

Heiner Beisel

King Mountain Regionals . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . I st

Nlch Thomas Wild West Regionals

... 2nd

m.F~T.fG~iiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiil Mlt411S711/

~ Calendar of Events Calendar of events items WILL NOT be listed i( onlv rcnmriv<~- Please i11dude exact infurm:itio~ (evenr, dare, contact name and phone number). Items should be received 110 lacer than six weeks prior m 1.he evem. We request nvo momhs lead cime for regional and national meets.

JAN. 22-29, 1999: Australian Hang Gliding N (lti'.onllfs iu we:;c Ausrralia near Wyalkatchem. T ow meet, over Hae, open wheat coumry, similar w Forbes. Encry $250 (Aus.), or $220 before Dec. 1. Conracr: Cordon Marshal ac navi@iinet.nct.au, or the competition direccor at zupy@ozemail.com.au.

COMPETITION FUN fLYING UNTIL DEC. 31: Second Falcon X-C Contest. Wilb Wing Falcons only. Four scccions: Wcsc Coast, West, Central, Ease. Prizes in all sections and classes. Hang 2 and up. T hree classes: Pro (Hang 4), Amatew(Hang 3), Rccrcarional (Hang 2). Towing allowed with maximtun release alricude oP 2,000'. No enrry fee, send SASE. Contact: Tek Flight Producrs, Colebrook Srnge, Winsted, CT O(i098 (860) 379- 1668, fax (860) 738-3630, tek@snet.net. OCI ·. 3- I I : '/ 'ennessee ·1'ree Toppers Te1.tm C:htd!engf', I lenson's c;ap, TN. Competitors classified by experience with scoring sys1.e111 :1w.irdi ng less-experienced competil.Ors more points for che same distance, encouraging reams co as.sisc le.ss-experienced llH:;mbe::rs along course. Maximum 50-µilot fid<l. l.lruce Hawk, cu111 peLition Jireccor. Gee an application at h up:/ Iiukorrun.wm/ ueecoppers/i ndex.h crnl con tau Dan ShdJ at danshell@blcdsoe.ner, (423) 949-6912, or Bruce Hawk ar BHawk@\Vindsok.com.

FEB. 14-20, 1999: W'HCS Speed Gliding ,mc/X-C contescs, Govcrnador Yaladares, Brazil. $20,000 prize money. Contact: Advcncure Sports (702) 883-7070, advspts@pyramid.net, W\-Vw.pyramid.net/advspts. DEC. 29, '98-JAN. 5, '99: Forbes F/4.d.ands J ')'J'J. t\11 pi lot; welcome. I ;ly che famous Forbes Flatlands, site of the 1998 World Championships. Enny fee $200 (Aus.), include., ri r.sr rilm and processing, presentation cl inner. Nec.essaty req uiremenLS: HGFA membership, tow endorsement, daLaback c~mera, GP.S recommended . Four entries co secure a strip, or if you don't have a tow team there will be:: compt:ticion mgs available at $15 per LOw. Truphie::s for Open, Women's, Racer (ki.ngposced) and Floacer Classe~. Excellent range of accommodations a.vailabk Re::gisuarion closes on November 20. Conracr: Vicki Cain BH Oll-61-29316-4644 or, moyes@moyes.com.au. Send entries co: Forbes Flatlands 1999, 1146 Bocany Road, Bora.ny NSW 2019, Australia.

OCT. 2-4: Octoher'.1 &1t fly-In. Come to North Carolina's Saurarown Mountain for excellenr diff launch.i ng and, this year, aerorowing. Sponsored by .SMHGC. Show up Friday or earl i.er in the week. L:rw-kcy competition fe.ttures X-C, duration and spotland.ing, wirh trophies, cash and pri-t.es. $35 emry includes T -shirt. Novice co Advanced. Coman: Doug Rice (336) 994-4377, Mike Nesler (336) 922-211 1, Vic Lewellen 70272.53 l@cornpuserve.eom.

OCT. 10-12: l lrh Annual D,y Canyon Columbus Day F(y-!n, Almogordo, NM. $10 emty for fi.m or compcricion. Comact: Tom/C indy West (505) 437-5213, or Robin Hasri.ngs (505) 541-5744. OCT. 16-18: Tut's Mountain Hang Gliding Extravaganza, Clayton, GA. 8ring the whole family co our 23rd annu:il event. $1,000/day prize purse wirh no emry fee . .Includes free barbecue lunch and limited deluxe accommodations, cooking fucilicies and more. Tr:insporr:ition from LZ to lmmch without breaking down. Prize competition for duration, spot landing, mosc flights and Lhe famous "Myste.ry Pilot" awards. Jndu<les T ut's exotic animal preserve, live culrmal deinons[ra[ions. Contacr: Tur's Mm. l-800621- 1768, (706) 782-6218 or Bruce Hawk (123) 212-4994. OCT. 31-NOV. 1: Annual Halloween Womens F{'y-!n, for HG and PG pilocs. Men anJ women invired. Costumes, camping, flying., beer, potluck. The coumry's largest fly-in. Saddle Moumain is a 2,000-foorhigh, 30-mile ridge offering consistently good ridge and chcrmal flying. Contact; Kristin Janosk), (509) 925-2190, or Kristin Armstrong (509) 624-5856.

CLINICS/MEETINGS/TOURS UNTTL OC'f'.: Fxxt,icy clinics presented by Dave Sharp and Mike Eberle in various locations throughout Norch America.

Contact (509) 'J'.25-5565 for ~c:hccl11ling, information for your home site. UNTIL NOV.: ''Owen.r 11.t its /?(!st, " X-Othemzal guidf. to the Owens \!alley, with Kari Castle. Two- to nine-day adventures. PrivMe one-on-one flying, guide service a11J instruction also available. Contact: Kari Castle (760) 872-2087, karicast..le@1dis.org. UNTIL MAY 1999: Mosquir.o Clinics, presented by Bill Fiter chroughout North America. CaJI (616) 922-2844 for scheduling information in your area.

OCT. 23-25:AOPAEXPO '98, Palm Springs Convencion Center, Palm Springs, CA. Conracr: Warren Morningstai· (301) 695-2162, warrcn .morningstaJ·@aopa.org. N OV. 5-8: Falt '.98 USHGA Board of Directors Meeting, Colorado Springs, Colorado, Doubletree World Arena (same place as last March). Conr:ict: (7 19) 6328300, WW\v.ughg:i .org. NOV. 12-15 : R11sic!Advanced 1-la:nt; Gliding TCP, by Ray Leonard, Adventure Spans, Carson Ciry, NV. Contact: (702) 883-7070. NOV. 27-DEC. 6, DEC. 11-20: Chile '98 Tour, by Worldwide;, A<lvencure T oms, in the Atacama desert. Additional excursion co Patagonia. Coma.ct: 1-800-727-2354, www.fuu2fly.com. DEC. 5-6: Tandem 1.. 2 and Instructor Clinic. T andem Adminiscrator Bob Hastings offers a candem clinic ac Team Spirit Hang Gliding of Puerro Rico. Housing is available. Call or write for more info: T eam Spirit Hang Gliding, P.O. Box 978, P11nw Sa.nciago, Puerto Rico 00741 , Tel. (787) 850-0508. DEC '98-MA RCH '99: Valk de Bravo, Mexico tours. HG and J>(; . Consiscem weather for great flying. Daily rares, rental gear. Conract: 1-800-8(,1-7198, www.flymex.ico .com, jeff<q>flymexico .com.

DEC. '98-APRIL '99: Winter F(yingMecca in Jvlexico. You've hearJ ofValle de Bravo. Packages by the day. Come for a day, a week or a 111011th. Contact: 1-800-86 1-7198, www.flyme::xico.com, jeff@flymexico.com FEB. 1999: New Zealand Tour by Worldwide Adventure Tours. T hree cypes of trips from rugged to rirzy. Concact: l -800727-2354, www.fun2fly.com.

H ANG GLIDING

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(03197)

RELEASE, WAIVER AND ASSUMPTION OF RISK AGREEMENT In consideration of the benefits to be derived from membership in the USHGA, (Pilo~ and the parent or legal guardian of Pilotif Pilotis a minor, for themselves, their personal representatives, heirs, executors, next of kin, spouses, minor children and assigns, do agree as follows: A. DEFINITIONS - 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. "SPORTS INJURIES' means personal injury, bodily injury, death, property damage and/or any other personal or financial injury sustained by Pilotas a result of Pilot's PARTICIPATION IN THE SPORTand/or as a result of the administration of any USHGA programs (for example: the Pilot Proficiency System). If Pilotis under 18 years of age, the term" SPORTS INJUR/ES"means personal injury, bodily injury, death, property damage and/or any other personal or financial injury sustained by Pilot as well as personal injury, bodily injury, death, property damage and/or any other personal or financial injury sustained by Pilot's parents or legal guardians, as a result of Pilot's PARTICIPATION IN THE SPORTand/or as a result of the administration of any USHGA programs. 3. "RELEASED PARTIES' means the following, including their owners, officers, directors, agents, spouses, employees, officials (elected or otherwise), members, independent 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 Pilot's 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 Pi/otlaunches, flies and/or lands; e) Each of the property owners on or over whose property Pilotmay 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 Pilot PARTICIPATES IN THE SPORl "All persons involved" 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 Pilot's PARTICIPATIONIN THE SPORT. 8. I FOREVER RELEASE AND DISCHARGE the RELEASED PARTIESfrom any and all liabilities, claims, demands, or causes of action that I may hereafter have for 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 PARTIESfor loss or damage on account of SPORTS INJURIES. If Iviolate this agreement by filing such a suit or making such a claim, Iwill 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. All 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. E. SEVERABLILITY. 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 REPRESENT THAT Pilot is at least 18 years of age, or, that I am the parent or legal guardian of Pilot and am making this agreement on behalf of myself and Pilot If I am the parent or legal guardian of Pilot, I AGREE TO INDEMNIFY AND REIMBURSE the RELEASED PARTIES for their defense and indemnity from any claim or liability in the event that P,lotsuffers SPORTS INJURIES as a result of Pilot's PARTICIPATION IN THE SPORT, even if caused in whole or in part by the negligence (whether active or passive) of any of the RELEASED PARTIES.

G. I VOLUNTARILY ASSUME ALL RISKS, KNOWN AND UNKNOWN, OF SPORTS INJURIES, HOWEVER CAUSED, EVEN IF CAUSED IN WHOLE OR IN PART BY THE ACTION, INACTION, OR NEGLIGENCE OF THE RELEASED PARTIES, TO THE FULLEST EXTENT ALLOWED BY LAW. I have read, understand, and agree to the above RELEASE, WAIVER AND ASSUMPTION OF RISK AGREEMENT.

__ ___,/__ __ ___,/__ _,

Adult P,lot's fitnatutP

Oate

fltnatutP ofPilot's PatPnt or Lepl Guardian ifPilot under 18,ears ofatp.

Oate

MMR 12-97

THE BEST TRAINING MANUAL EVER! CHAPTERS

fa. Bold StotemeAn~esorne Book But This ,s o ne

All This. For Only

Plus SiH S4. 75 USA, St'> so ,,n.111.;, \I{) V1.•xt(.t:. s221,·1r'I Ai,rnail

Sz9 95 •

• - ------

~- --------

------ -

6i>i

USHGA, PO Box 1330, Colorado Springs, CO 8090 I J -800-616-6888 fax (719) 632-641 7 www.ushga.org ~

Hang Gliding Training Manual $29.95 + 3.50 postage The best help you 'IL get next to your instructor. Covers every aspect of learning to hang glide from the beginner to the intermediate level. Includes study guides for rating tests. 370 pages.

New - Towing Alo~ - $29.95 + 3.so by Dennis Pagen and Bill Bryden All towing methods including payout winch, static line towing, i . *l'lf/fi;;i::.::::S sfotlonary wmch, aerotowmg, boat towing and more! Any question "' ~ ;J.~o.ut towmg? This book is for you. 384 pages .

Kflll\\ f\\Dl\\ MV,\ te

···'"'

~ Rerformance Flying - $29.95 + 3.so "'•'"""'8"" nderstanding the Sky - $19.95 + 2.so

~SPORT AVIATION ~ PUBLICATIONS PO Box 101, Mingoville, PA 16856 Web site:www.lazerlink.com/-pagenbks

USHGA MERCHANDISE ORDER FORM CALENDARS USHGA 1999 HANG GLIDING CALENDAR- Excellent photography...................... 11b USHGA HG CALENDARS - More excellent photography. (Circle Yr) 1998 '97 '91 '90 '89 .... . 1lb

PRICE $ 9.95 $ 1.50

QTY Total Weight TOTAL $ $

PUBLICATIONS .:.-HANG GLIDING FOR BEGINNER PILOTS by Peter Cheney.Official Training Manual. 250 pgs2lb .:.-TOWING ALOFT by Dennis Pagen/Bill Bryden. Covers ALL aspects of towing. 372 pgs. . .. 31b HANG GLIDING TRAINING MANUAL by Dennis Pagen For the beginner/novice pilot. 350 pgs 21b "SPECIAL NEW PILOT" Magazine. Hang Gliding or Paragliding (circle one). Buy both! ...... 7oz SKY ADVENTURES 36 hg stories by 32 hg authors. Informative & entertaining. 240 pgs ..... 11b .:.-PARAGLIDING-THE COMPLETE GUIDE by Noel Whittall. Comprehensive, color. 200 pgs .. 21b PERFORMANCE FL YING by Dennis Pagen. For the Intermediate-Advanced pilots. 340 pgs. . 31b UNDERSTANDING THE SKY by Dennis Pagen. THE most complete book on micrometerology. 21b INSTRUCTOR'S MANUAL by Dennis Pagen. Hang gliding, used in ICP's. Plenty of illustrations. 21b PARAGLIDING-A PILOT'S TRAINING MANUAL by Mike Meier/Wills Wing. Covers all aspects. 21b RIGHT STUFF FOR NEW HG PILOTS by Erik Fair. Reprints of Erik's HG column. Classic..... 11b ACCESS & THE GENERAL AVIATION AIRPORT ENVIRONMENT by Bob Moorman ........ 21b DOWNWIND by Larry Fleming. Share the experience of over 20 years of hg flight. ........... 11b A RISK MGMT MANUAL HG by Michael Robertson. Used in ICP's, withe Charts of Reliability.. 11b RECORD ATIEMPT KIT Includes all forms needed for national & world record attempts ...... 21b FLIGHT LOG BOOK The Official USHGA flight log book. 40 pages. Log those flights! ...... 2oz CERTIFICATION BOOKLETS Document your skill level sign-offs. Specify HG or PG. . ..... 2oz

$29.95 $29.95 $29.95 $ 4.95 $14.95 $26.95 $29.95 $19.95 $15.00 $19.95 $ 8.95 $19.95 $10.95 $ 9.95 $15.00

$ $ $ $ $ $ $ $ $ $ $ $ $ $ $

$ 2.95 $ 1.95

$ $

$19.95 $19.95 $19.95 $24.95 $35.95 $33.00 $34.95 $35.95 $34.95 $34.95 $33.00

$ $

VIDEOS .:.-DUST DEVILS Fly with the Womens World Hang Gliding Team in Chelan, WA. (24 min) ... 11b PARTY AT CLOUDBASEJi A hang gliding music video, set to hard driving music. (20 min) ... 11b MASTERS AT CLOUDBASEJi A paragliding music video, set to hard hitting music. (20 min) .. 11b TELLURIDE AEROBATICS Follow the dynamic history of this event, from "81-95". (50 min) ... . 1lb FLY HARD Rob Whittal & C. Santacroce paraglide the westcoast. Rock soundtrack. (36 min) .. . 1lb POINT OF THE MTN (Utah) HG & PG action at one of America's favorite sites. (52 min) ...... 11b BORN TO FLY HG action. Meet Larry Tudor & Green team, fly Owens, Sandia, etc. (50 min). . .1/b PG: THE MOVIE Owen's Valley world competition. Hot action, rockin' soundtrack. (40 min) . . . . 1lb CLOUDBASE PARAGLIDING Great intro. video. Meet the hot pilots, fly the hot sites. (36 min) . 1lb HANG GLIDING EXTREME Fly spectacular sites in the US. Meet the top pilots. (50 min) ..... 11b HAWAIIAN FL YIN' HG & PG in Paradise. Amazing launches & awesome scenery! (46 min) 11b All our videos are in USANHS NTSC format only.

$ $ $ $ $ $ $ $ $

MISC. USHGA PHONE CARD 25¢ per minute long distance rate, specify hg or pg card, includes 30 min .. $10.00 --1lLL $ WINDSOK™ 1.5 oz. ripstop nylon, 5'4" long w/11" throat. Pink/yellow or pink/white (circle one). 21b $39.95 $ WINDSEEKER Hang glider flying model. It loops & soars. Lots of fun to fly, you'll want two ... 15oz $ 3.00 $ USHGA EMBLEM DECAL Our original logo, in its original colors, on a 3" circular sticker. . . . . . 1oz $ .50 $ USHGA SEW-ON EMBLEM Our original logo, in its original colors, on a 3" circular patch. . . . . 1oz $ 1.50 $ MTN. GLIDER DECAL Full color 6" rectangular, long-lasting vinyl decal. Very colorful. ....... 1oz $ 1.50 $ MTN. GLIDER LAPEL PIN Multi-colored, custom shaped w/epoxy dome, military clutch back. . 2oz $ 3.95 $ LICENSE PLATE FRAME I'd Rather Be Hang Gliding or I'd Rather Be Paragliding (circle one). 1lb $ 6.50 $ $ *ERIC RAYMOND POSTER 24"x37" Eric 17,000' MSL over the Sierra Nevada Range ....... 11b $ 5.95 $ *AEROBATIC POSTER 23"x31" Colorful keel-angle shot of John Heiney looping skyward ..... 11b $ 6.95 *Posters are NOT AVAILABLE on International orders-Sorry! SPECIAL - BOTH POSTERS FOR $10.00 $ PAYMENT must be included with your order. NON-USA orders must be in U.S. FUNDS drawn on a U.S. BANK! SUBTOTAL WEIGHT (for shipping) _ _

SHIPPING (USA) CHARGE MY VISA or MASTERCARD SUBTOTAL $_ _ __ Under 16oz ADD $1.50 1 LB ........... ADD $4.00 Acct# Colorado residents add 3% tax $_ _ _ __ 2 LB ........... ADD $4.75 3-4 LB ... .. .. ADD $5.50 expires Shipping (see chart) $_ _ _ __ 5-6 LB ....... ADD $6.00 7-8 LB ....... ADD $6.50 signature TOTAL$_____ 9-10 LB ..... ADD $7.50 Over 10 LB .. Call/fax/email NON-USA SH/PP/NG-Calllfax/email Send To: _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ USHGA#_ _ _ _ _ Phone_ _ _ _ _ _ _ __ Street Address (if possible),_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ __

United States Hang Gliding Assn., PO Box 1330, Colorado Springs CO 80901-1330 (719) 632-8300 1-800-616-6888 www.ushga.org fax (719) 632-6417 email: ushga@ushga.org

Update

SAVE THIS FAMOUS SITE! YOURS MAY BE NEXT!

development project on designated "open space" land threatens to eliminate the world-famous Sylmar Hang Gliding/Paragliding Flight Park in Sylmar (Los Angeles), California. If this project is approved as presented, our sport and our industry will lose one of this country's~ and most popular flying sites, ending 28 years of hang gliding in Los Angeles. Sylmar has been operational since the early 1970's and was the site of the first U.S. National Hang Gliding Championships held in October, 1973. The Sylmar Hang Gliding/Paragliding Association (SHGA) is the oldest hang gliding organization in the U.S., and the club has worked hard to create a beautiful site for everyone - not just pilots - to enjoy. Your support now is critical. By sending the postcards enclosed in this issue of Hang Gliding to the local political leaders, you are. enforcing the message that hang gliding and paragliding are important to the local . - as well as national and worldwide flying communities. We have made it easy for you to help.

WILLS WING HARNESS SALE

ills Wing, Inc. is having a fall harness sale. From now until December 31, 1998 you can save $100 off the regular retail cost of $795 on any new Z5 inventory harness purchased from stock. The harnesses are available in Medium, Medium Plus, Large and Large Plus sizes and in a variety of different color combinations. A sizing guide and inventory list is available from the Wills Wing Web site at www.willswing.com. More harnesses will be added weekly, so check in regularly if your size is out of stock. See your dealer for ordering information.

TEAM SPIRIT FLYING TOURS

ly Puerto Rico! Team Spirit announces flying tours for the '98-'99 season daily, weekly or longer. TSHG offers glider rental, transportation, site orientation and X-C retrievals. Housing is available if desired. Come fly with us and visit the mountains and the ocean in the same day. This is great for family fun and vacations. Tandems and instruction are also available. Team Spirit Hang Gliding of Puerto OCTOBER 1998

Please rake a few moments TO SIGN the inserted postcards and m~d1em. This will show our localpoli~ tbilttheS~ pilots ~~ o i : ~ tion and that the site i$\importanuo :ALL pilots. Ifyou have ever &wn Kagel, .please mention that on. the citds so nationwide S\lpport is even more visible. This .is not jl\1$t about Kagel, it's about your site too: We see the threat of e:xpansion happening too o~n. Grassroots efforts to keep local sites availlll>le to both hang glider and pamglider p~Ol:$ are needed s0 our sport .may continue(<> ,0Ulish, and more importan~ to~":'Jn the past we have 010b~ to usist'other clubs in pre-serving their sites. N~~n~ your help! An attack on q~esi~,~uld be viewed as an au~ on all. sires.We're.allin this together. \'.'our site .tn.ay\~. ~ ....·

~supporteil~,~

~mau·. ·

. . ,:fo* ~·· <•• · · · · .•....• }.Ilg .these.·. . Thank . •. yoq ~today!\ .· . . '

~-···

~~~~M1ttraglkiing

Rico can be reached for more information at: TSHG, P.O. Box 978, Punta Santiago, Puerto Rico 00741 (787) 850-0508.

AIRTIME HARNESS COMPANY BACK IN BUSINFSS

he company formerly owned and operated by Jeff Greenbaum has been sold to Miguel Ochoa. Miguel and wife Martha have been building the Jetstream and LaZer harnesses, as well as assisting in new designs for the past four years. The sale of the company to the original harness makers will ensure the continued quality of the Airtime harness product line. For a while, Jeff Greenbaum will continue to act as contact and salesperson for Airtime Harness Manufacturing Company. The harnesses will be marketed with very competitive pricing, and there will be an introductory offer. Airtime harnesses are sold factory direct. Contact: Miguel Ochoa (209) 8927420, miguel8@townsquare.net, or Jeff Greenbaum (415) 751-5068, airtime@ionix.net.

·.· : . RiLOT REPORT ·-~ top)!right (t") J998 by Dennis Pagen hen most Americ:rns rhink of a large foreign glider manufacturer Lhey may be quick ro name Moyes. Ai1wave, Aeros or even La Mouerre. Rut most would fail to memion Baurek, Germany's main manufacturer. Thb oversighc may be understandahle si 11<.,t' BaULek ha5 :;pem little effort marketing in Lht.: U.S. They have been conrent to serve the large European markt:t which has historically offered greater volume rhan we could claim, despite our larger population. AU that is changing. Bautek has a new competicive topless glider aptly named (as we shall sec) the Tw.ister. lts performance iS good and so me special engineering renders it most desirable in terms of' saf'ery. lu aJJicion, rhe strong dollar in relation

The Bautek Twister:

to t.uropean currency makes the price attractive enough to i1uerest Ll10se pilots looking for a top-performing, safe. topless

glider. I rook delivery of a Twister :it Monte Cucco, haly where I flew it in che Pre-Wo, Id meet. The11 the factory graciously let me keep it for another two weeks of peripatetic flying in the Alps where I resred irs merde in non- competition mode. This report is the result of so1ut' 30 hour:; of airtime in widely varying condiLions and regimem, from lightair scratching to high-w ind racing. BAUTEK'S BACKGROUND Before we calk about d1c glider, lee me fill you in 011 die company, Baucek. They have been in business since 1971, <levdopi ng parts for airplanes and sailplanes. In 198 J rhey de1,igned and produced d1eir first hang glider, the Faf'nir. This wing was followed by the Saphir, Zephir, Pam ir (all th rec reviewed previously in Hang Gliding) , iVWan, M ilan Racer, Sunrise, Astir

and Twister. All of rhese gliders except the Mihrns ,ind the Twister were bowsl)rit gliders - now you recognize them! The Bamck name comes from che German wor<l bau which means construction and technik. The company principles arc rhe Zimmer rwins, I lorsc and Harold. Horse is rhe engineer; Harold is the business whiz. Baucek is near Trier, in rhe Moselle wine country of southwcsr Germany nexr co d1e Luxembourg border. The facrory is a

larp,e new building, specially conmucted to build gliders efficjently. GLIDER PERFORMANCE

tors right away, for al though performance

is of uanosr imporr::i nce we have many other icems of inrerest co report on rhe Twister. My experience on the Twi:;cer indicaced that it climbed extremely well. Both i11 the Pre-Worlds a nd larec free flying (with as many as 50 gliders ar Laragne, France) I was not oucclimbed when I wa.~ sharing Lhe same thmnal patch. The Twister's the rmal climbabiliLy is wliat I woul<l claim to be its strong point. Ac no rmal glide speeds l was also gliding wich the right comp gliders. I ma.inLained the glider in stock configuracion, so at higher speeJs I could nor keep up ~

The Twister in flight. lh

The Twister airframe with a clear view of the crossbar truss system. HANC GLIDING

A New Design Twist

wirh rhe gl ide rs wirh lowe red sprogs. 13ut it we co ni pare rhe stock T wisre r ro other stock gliders, I believe we would find

cqu try. The Tw·ister's handling is also one of irs fine r oints. The glider is tuned witho ur a lo r of sail a nd harre n te nsion, simila1 to Lhe La mi n ar. T his setup promotes good ha ndliug au<l rhe abiliry ro slow down well in chennah. The VG system has lors of travel w ith three !011g pulb req u ired ro go hill-eight. T he resulc is d1e besr of borh wo rlds - good loose VG

ltanJli11g and drum- right maxed-our glide wilh a tight VG . Harold rold me cbey worked for a year

l hf Jillister sivivel tip. Note the cab/,e which mutes around tht' pulley to pull up the tip. 0 CTOflFR I g93

co perfect the Twister's handling by a! teri11g tube Hexibiliry, sail tension, tip rwisc, airfoil profiles, baLten tension and crossbar holdback configuratiou. The glider has a curved-down basecube to leL you hang lower and a kee.l pyJon ro m.ake your hang poinc higher. Wi rh all of these factors, Bautek believes they have found the best compromise of handling, performance and landing ease for che Twister. One lase point on performance: The Twiscer was Aown rhis year by factory pilot Jobst Bacumer in the German Naciouals. He won rhe meet againsc cop pilots such as Bol., Baier and \X!orld

Champion Guido Gchrm:rn.

THE BAUTEK FEATURES Now comes the fun pan, al least for us design lrnffi. But even pilots who Jon't know the difference bet\veen an upright aml a dowmubc will find inreresr here, for some unique safety features are highligh ted. The Twister has an automacic pitch stability system which is a welcome feamre on a topless glider. Here's how ic works: If curbulcnce unloads your side flying wire:;, or if your glider is pitched nose down to the poinc where rhe side wi res off-load, che tip strut:; automatically twist upw:ird. This action simulate:; reflex bridles (found on kingposted gliders) kicking in, or an up elevator control on an airplane. Th is automatic cvvist device, known as the Safety Pitch System, works with a lever :mached to the side cables which is accivaced by a spri ng concealed inside the crossbar. When rhe side ca hie.,; go s lightly slack, u:1e spring rocaces the lever which pulls a cable romed w the tip srrurs and configures to tile them upward. Careful resting has s hown the system co work cffecrivcly ar re;i lisric Aying speeds and weigh cs. Another !>ystem working in a simil;ir manner is connecLed w the hang strap co accivace the tail on Guggenmos' RCS. T he Zimmers tried such a system, bul felt chat rhc side cables are more sensitive to potential p itchover evencs. You can see the 'l\visLer's tip-twisting crick by rotating the glider's nose up and down in rhe w ind. 'When the wings life, the Lwist goes down; when the nose is dropped so die side wires go s lack, the rwist increases. The nexc item of interest i.~ r.he c rossbar itself It is not carbon as is the crossbar of most topless gliders. The Zimmcrs

checked with their sailplan e manufacturer associates and found ouc how critical the construction and inspection of carbon was. T hey opted ro make a crossbar ouc of aluminum using a rruss system. A cruss syscem consists of a main compression beam an<l a series of suppons designed LO keep die compression beam in column or handle tension loads. Most bridges that aren't suspended bridge.s are truss systems, since a truss is the lightest kincl of co n~truction fo r a given load reg.uirement. The truss arrangemen t in the Twister consists of a couple of sets of o utriggers and cables that stiffen the crossbar much like the masc of a sailboat. The res ult is a crossbar just as strong and light as the cantilever carbon ones ac less than half rhe price. ln addition, this crossbar is easier to inspect for d:miage compared to a ca rho n spa r, and rhe Zimmer&feel chat this is an important advantage when it comes co the resale of rhe glider. Another inceresting feature on the Twister is the up-curved p lastic tips. These tips are similar co those seen on the Stealth, b ut developed independently. ln fact, the Z immers called on their friends at the Mercede.s facto ry and used their wi ne! runnel. By ca rvi ng woocl tips and trying many different shapes rheywerc able co come up wirh the minimum drag design. Other features on the Twister include the nose zipper.:; which Cree Ll1e Mylar ,H the nose so iL doesn\ gel bent when packing up as it does on all other gliders. Next is the lower-surface netting at the tip w hich rel ieves pressure and prevenrs downward inflation at the tip at high speeds (low angles of attack). This feature renders che glider more yaw srablc. Tests have shown that closing o ne :;ide makes the dosetl side create more drag and lag behind. We have already mentioned the basetube w h ich is abouc one inch in d iameter for lower drag, with a nice rubber grip and an internal cable for safety. Finally, we should poinr om the al11m inu m keel wh ich is tapered to look sexy and reduce drag. le also swings down like a kickstand to aid in setup if you so desire.

FLYING THE TWISTER

We have previously mentioned the twister's nice handling cha racteristics, burler us look ar orher facro rs. While free flying I put the glider thro ugh some standard tests. First l cried sralls, both with the VG on and off In all configurations I coul<ln'r gee the glider w drnp il.s uose as long as I started the sLall from minim um sink speed. ' r he glider would simply mush or go into falling leaf m.ode. What this m.eans when it comes to flying is th;ir the glider may h;ive less re ndency to nose in after a landing flare, and may be less apt to rotate nose down if stalled in strong turbulence. Ano Lher Lh ing I tried was slipping Lurns and hands-off Lurns. The slipping/diving mode was very controllable and predictable. I like to use this featu re for landing setup and ir came in handy in an X-C fligh t in France when I chose co alight in a small 1- 1/\NG GLIDING

wheal field along the Durance river.

By putting a glider in a coordinated bank and letting go, you can check for a glider's spiral stability. Most designs are slightly unstable which means that the bank angle increases. On the "lwister the glider slowly leveled out, which means that no high-siding is required in smooth thermals. I found the twister to have lots of positive-pitch bar pressure. In fact, it was too much for my taste when diving full-tilt to goal. The factory said the sprogs could be safely lowered to relieve some of this pitch pressure and this is one topless glider on which I'd be willing to do so. Takeoffs and landings are straightforward on the Twister. I had no unusual experiences launching in either calm or strong conditions. The glider is relatively light (73. 7 lbs., 33.5 kg) for those light-wind launches. When landing you'll find that the glider slows admirably, and the only awkward landings I produced were in turbulent conditions when I flared early. SETUP AND OTHER DETAILS The Twister setup is fairly conventional, so we'll only point out a few unique features. First is the sprog and tip strut setup. The sprogs usually fall in place and all you have to do is place a transverse batten (which engages the battens on either side of the sprog) in the slot at the end of the sprog, then zip up the under surface. The tip strut is similar: You push it in to slide over a swiveling (up and down) stud, pop on the transverse batten to hold it in, and zip up. The next interesting matter to note is the tip batten. There is no need to fumble inside the sail trying to locate the batten on a stud, since it is fixed to the leading edge and folds in its mid-span. To attach the batten you simply put the outside end in a loop, then straighten the batten slightly past center. The only criticism I have of the Twister setup is that the batten pocket openings are squared off rather than having one side forty-fived as is the standard nowadays. The 45° fold makes the initial batten insert more easily. On the other hand, the lower-surface battens were the second easiest in the business (Airwave's are the best with their forward retainer loop). The battens are held in with a flat elastic loop that is open and easy to catch with one finger, sight unseen. Finally, I wish to mention the nose cone which is the only one I've ever found which I could put on every time cleanly without pulling the nose down. The nose zippers allow the Mylar inserts to stop closer to the nose than on other gliders, so the nose cone can be a bit smaller and it is perfectly shaped. This nose cone detail is indicative of the attention to detail characteristic ofBautek's engineering on all their gliders. They make their own upright/basetube junctions which are nicely rounded and faired in. The uprights come with a grip patch for those sweaty-palm days. The rear haulback is a simple ring that loops over a small block with a recess for the cable thimble. All these little details serve to satisfy. Perhaps the nicest detail is the sail. It is made in-house by Bautek and is very clean. The glider looks sleek indeed, with its long, smooth lines ending at the graceful tips. I had many pilots checking out my glider wherever I went. Internally the sail has three top-to-bottom straps and two ribs per side to hold the airfoil in shape. (This is a safety factor for negative angles of attack as well.) OCTOBER 1998

Finally, the best news about the sail is that your choice of colors comes at no extra charge (Bautek maintains six leading edge and sixteen lower-surface colors). In addition, you can ger a sail with the Bautek wave pattern on the lower surface in your choice of colors at no extra charge. The upper-surface sail comes with Dimension Polyant's Power LL cloth. (You've seen it before - it's the one with the black pinstripe.) In summary, I loved the Twister in almost every way. It is one topless glider I would like to own, if only because of the warm, safe feeling it affords. Of course, climbing above other gliders also piques the love interest. I would recommend this glider highly to pilots who want a fun, high-performing, topless glider without the worries. The best bit I have to report is the price: $5,000, which compares nicely to other topless gliders on the market. Baurek is actively seeking a U.S. distributor, so the gliders should become readily available real soon. Until then, interested pilots should contact Baurek directly at: Bautek Gewerbegebiet 0-54344 Kenn Germany Tel: 06502-3060 Fax: 06502-7436 E-mail: bautek@t-online.de Web site: www.bautek.com Bautek has been in business a long time and no doubt will continue to be for a long time to come. Their dependability should allay the worries of any pilot concerned about parts and continued service. Check out their Web page for more information.•

GLIDER SPECIFICATIONS

Sail area:

150 sq. ft.

Span:

34.1 ft.

Nose angle:

132° 7.7

Double surface:

approx. 80%

Packed length:

18.7 ft. (long), 13.4 ft.

(short)

Number ofbattens:

29 (8 lower)

Stall speed:

approx. 15 mph 50 mph

approx. 22 mph approx. 30 mph

min. 220 lbs., max. 310 lbs. 73.7 lbs.

U.S.$ 5,000

Better Launches And Landings: Step by Step PART I -THE LAUNCH a program by Pat Denevan -

article and illustrations by Greg Shaw

In the air, we all tend to be pretty proud ofour flying skills. And why not? When we are boating about the sky, who can judge whether our turn was slightly uncoordinated, or our path not quite the one we intended? Other than that blasted flying buddy who consistently looks down at our kingpost, what measure is there ofthe proficiency or appropriateness ofour skills? INTRODUCTION nee the ground is involved, however, it's a different matter. That fixed, immovable, uncompromising object smacks us hard in the face with our inadequacies, figuratively and (too often) literally. What we do most near the ground in a hang glider is launch and land. Ask a pilot what skill he needs to improve, and nine out of ten will tell you "landing." (Their launch skills are probably just as bad, but it happens to be harder to stuff a launch than to pound a landing, so they aren't reminded as often.) They have met the measure of their skills. Most pilots blunder along either unconsciously "getting it" or not. But there is another way. With a better understanding of the mechanics of flight, human factors, and the influence of conditions, better launches and landings are achievable with a little practice. This article is intended to be the first in a series that will approach that understanding one step at a time. We will begin at the beginning and talk about launching first (in spite of the howls of protest that landing is the only problem). Much of what we learn about the launch will make that dreaded landing a piece of cake. We can break down the launch process into eight key steps or elements, all essential to properly transitioning into the air:

1) 2) 3) 4) 5) 6) 7) 8)

BALANCE THE WING Set the angle of attack Hook-in check Push the glider with the shoulders Maintain angle of attack with the hands Use a light touch Run with long strides Adjust your angle of attack for liftoff when ready

We will look at the first step today.

Step 1: BALANCE THE WING We are assuming that the preliminaries have been attended to. The glider has been preflighted, the luff lines are not hooked on a rib. You have done a hang check; the harness lines are untangled and clearance is good. The day looks promising and you have maneuvered the glider to edge of the hill. The moment has arrived to launch. It is time to lift the basetube from the ground and balance the wing (see Figure 1). Many pilots equate this with "leveling" the wing. They will

argue that it is paramount that you fly straight and level toward where you want to go (generally straight away from the hill). Any bank, they claim, is really a turn, and everyone knows a turn near the hill is doom. But "level" refers to the relation of the wing to the horizon, to the exclusion of all other factors that bear on the action and reaction of the wing. In calm winds, level equals balanced. On a perfectly shaped launch site with straight-in steady winds, level equals balanced. But on the average launch you will find uneven terrain, crossing winds, and limited room to run. Level will not suffice (see Figure 2). Even under ideal conditions, level is difficult to achieve. Standing under the wing, we have no reference, no way to judge level. Ask a carpenter. He doesn't rely on his eye, he uses a bubble level to make everything square. Insistence on "level" leads to fear of the dreaded crosswind takeoff. On a launch with even slightly crossing winds, a level wing, pointed down the desired path, will not result in a run in the desired direction. The resulting crab will have you in the bushes before you can yell, "Save me Mister Wizard!" We are in a dynamic situation, requiring a dynamic BALANCE to get the desired results, which is an astonishing coincidence, since we have a way of detecting balance: glider feedback through the control bar. The trick is to find that combination of yaw and roll that leaves the glider roll neutral. Pointing the nose into the prevailing wind and/or toward the high wing will usually work. You may also find it useful to move a step or two left or right to find that sweet spot. Mark Lilledahl wrote an article about taking off in the extreme situation of a windy cliff launch with a 60-degree, right-crossing wind. Here the need for balance is paramount. Mark notes that the glider's twisted attitude looks crazy to most pilots, but it results in a stable launch. The nose is twisted right, toward the wind, and the left wing is held low to balance its forward exposure to the wind at the cliff edge against the right wing's nearness to the rotor. Running off in this attitude, the glider drives upwind, allowing you to run straight off the edge in a crab that settles into a stabilized turn as the airflow becomes uniform over the wings. Correcting a stable turn is just a matter of rolling out - relatively easy in today's good-handling gliders. On the other hand, to level the glider, and point it toward the desired path, you must physically force the glider against the unbalancing pressures. This can only work as long as your feet are firmly HANG GLIDING

Roll and yaw the glider until fores on the wings are balanced.

Figure 1.

lift

Unbalanced fottes will cause a tightenin turn as you run.~.- L==;:::=;:=l-- - . r - - - - - - ,

esired path

n \/R

desired path

\.j

Figure 4.

Figure 3. pull in and run towad target

Do not use your legs as "brakes" to stop a deviation from l!)Ur path.

~ (

desired path

~ ~,? PROPER RESPONSE plame<l in the <lire. As soon as you move for your run, you have no mo re conuol uver Lhe gli<ler until it is supporting your wcighc from the hang strap. The glider will respond to the unbalanced pressures with a tigh lening mrn away from the w ind until pressures are balanced by pilot input or uniform air. You will be in an unfortunate situation: low airspet:d, 111i11imal control response, lors of distractions, and che need for a quick resp onse LO avoid <.lis;c;ter. Countering the roll induced by rhe unbalanced forces on chewing is vasLly more difficult rhzin ;i simple roll out of a turn. T hink of the si1nilar situation when o nly one w ing of the glider encounters thermal lift. The glider is ro lled o ut of the thermal, and often no amount of pilot re.~ponse ca n force the glider to rum back toward the thermal. While merely aggravating in the air, ch is sit uation is to be avoided near the grnuncl. Finding balance before your run is the key.

Ocr0Lm1 1995

desired path ~ I }

bd { \

-;?7

WRONG REPONSE THE CROSSWIND LAUNCH O ur discussion of balance has really been a descriprion of a crosswinJ launch. Lee's look at r.hc cechnique in more detail. Many pilors go co excraordinary leugths LO launch with level wings and running straight ac the wind, to avoid a crosswind laum:h. This only serves co make launching more difficult. It also allows condicions to dictate your path . Safety is a fimction of control. If something other than the pilot is in control, safery is compromised. At the MSC school, we realize that almost any time you launch, rhe winds will he crossing to some degree, so every lauud1 shoulJ be considered a crosswind launch. Students are taugh t crosswind lawiches l'ur the beginne r rating. Taught properly, they are tedmically easier d1a11 a shallow cross-slope launch, or a launch with level wi ngs and the nose pointed off the wind toward the intended path. A crosswind law1eh optimizes the situation. T he best path can be used regardless of wind direction. Running straight down the hill 21

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gives you the best acceleration to flying speed, the shortest run, and the quickest clearance from obstacles. For the pilot to control his path, he must control the glider. That is achieved through balance. Here's the sequence. After moving into position, balance the wing, set the angle of attack, do a hook-in check, confirm balance and angle of attack, then run. The wing lifts as you accelerate. You can pull in slightly to increase speed for better response to your corrections. The simple act of running toward a target on your intended path automatically corrects an unplanned turn by the glider (see Figure 3). You are effectively "high-siding" the bar, bringing the glider back on course. Attempting to correct a path deviation by running sideways only serves to compromise your run and may input forces below the center of rotation that generate an undesired roll. The absolute worst, worst thing you can do is to stick your legs out to brake against the deviation from course (which naturally is the typical pilot tendency- see Figure 4). This serves only to add roll input, creating a turn and slowing the glider, which reinforces the incorrect roll input. It guarantees that the glider will go off course in a very determined fashion. To experience this once is to fear the crosswind takeoff. Practice the correct response. You will discover that your glider is very manageable in a crosswind situation. Pull in to accelerate as you run toward your target and the wing will follow meekly along, HANG GLIDING

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ifyou have started in a stable, balanced state. Remember in your practice to look well out toward the horizon to pick a rnrger. Ynll can only recognize a deviarion from your p;nh early if you have some perspccrivc. Looking in close only allows you to recognize gross changes, when the sicuadon has had rime to gee wdl uul uf l1am.l. Calch a problem early anJ il will be easy tu correct. Ralance is the key to control. Control assures an. anxiety-tree

launch. Ptlors generally have no trouble with the concept of balance as they walk their gliders co launch. They arc willing ro cwist ir as

clesirecl p~rh. O nce po.~irioned on l:i11nch, however, they feel rh~ r for some reason the rules have changed. Balance is abandoned on che assumption char some ocher means of conrrol is necessary for cakeof{ But rhe srune Jynamics apply on launch as on the parh

from the setup area. 'l'he glider is a creature of Lhe wind., and we achieve stability and control by balancing the glider against the dynamic forces rhar affect ir. Once in balance, we have built into ir the means of directing it where we will. Sray cuncd for our ncxr insrallmcm in which we will consider

SLep 2: ~elting angle of auack fur launch. •

nec<.:ssary ro achieve balance, so char they can maneuver along rhe 0CTOBCR ·1993

Michael "Hollywood" Champlin flies deep into the Florida~ riday night, Apri l 10: Hollywood rushed in all excited about the weekern.l's wead1er forecast. "h's going co be a great weekend at \'v'allaby," he said. Saturday was forecast ro be a post-frontal day with north winds, and ordinarily this would not necessarily mean an exceptional <lay oF flying in f lorida. Unlike other poniom of Lhe easL coa.sr, Horida typically has an upper-level

inversion at 3,000 to 4 ,000 feet on post-

front;i l cby1,, limiting rherm;il height ;incl cloud formation. "But tomorrow will be different," Hollywood said, "The inversion will be high enough that wisps of cloud will appear and disappear, easily m:irking rhe thermals. lf you drive for me on S:uurday, I 'I! drive fo r you on Sunday." l agreed, knowing foll well char Hollywood would pick the best day for himself: fo1 Lhose who don't know him, Michael "l lollywood" Champlin probably h;is more 2.00+ mile Aights to his credit than any other hang glider pilot in hisrory, with the exception of Larry Tudor. He gut die uickmune "Hollywood" from che years he spent as an accor in I Iollywood before moving to Horida several years ago. You can still catch him in reruns of some of your favorite TV

ly ~r;i rred glid ing off away from rhe tlighr park ro the cast. Somcching muse have caught his eye. At about 800 feet AGL he comacted a weak thermal and I watched as he slowly drifted even further

away from Wallaby. l<nowing he'd never make ir back l hopped in the truck and followed as he slowly worked Lhis burble of life between 800 and 1,000 feet AGL. At about five miles from the Ranch ic fizzled out and he began gliding

downwind . U h oh! Forrunarely, he "found a li'I somerhin"' - another morsel oflili: - tl1is Lime aLabout 600 feet AGL, and continued to work ir for abour another five miles. Gradually conditions improved, and Hollywood was soon up to a whoppiug 3,000 feel AGL.

Meanwhile, back ac the Ranch, tug pilot Carlos Bessa told Davis Straub that

shows. We lefl for Wallaby Ranch (a threehour drive) at abouL 5:00 ,1\M .Saturday morning. We arrived at Wallaby to find rhe winds out of the norrh ;is preclictecl. Tt

was blowing coo strong for most pilots ro care to Hy, but these are the days that

Hol!Y"vood lives for. He rushed to ready his weapons of choice: a Moyes C.SX-1 and a Tangent Plight Computer.

Local tug pilor Tom R:imseur agreed co cow him up in the rurbulcnr conditions. I watched as Hollywood pinned off tow and searched for auy scraps of lifL lie could find at this early hour of the morn-

ing. With on ly enough alritude left ro make ir back co rhe Aighr park he sudden24

HANG GLIDING

•

Everglades for a new 167-mile Florida State Record by Tiki Mashy

he wan red ro fly as well, and Davis agreed to go wirh him on h is Exxracy. Ry rhis

time wisps of cloud were beginning to appear and disappear just as Hollywood predicted. Conditions were weak initially, but improved as che day went on . Ar abour 50 miles our, Hollywood flew over desolate terrain in the central part of the scare while I paralleled his course along Highway 27. Davis Scraub described d1is portion of the flighc in one of his "Oz Rcporrn" on the Inter.net: "As we flew past Avon Park, 40 miles of dirt- road-only areas awaited al l of us. I mean, I barely saw one house for over an hour." Bur for Hollywood the worst was yet ro come. At the 135-mile mark, Hollywood had a decjsion to make. The terrain south of Tmrnokalee became ve1y ominous - 30

r- "While this flight was an extremely fim and exciting adven1

ture, I hope no one gets the idetl tht1tjlying cross-country in Florida is fraught with dange1: Most of the rnore conunon cross-country routesjj·om Wallaby Ranch offer a plethora of large, flat, grassy landing areas, nutking it one ofthe most

stress-free sites in the country to fly (or learn to fly) X-C Come on down and fly with us!" -

Hollywood

0 CTODER 1998

continuous miles of cypress swamp and the rlorida Everglades lay ahead. Hollywood reported on the radio, "lf 1 can't get high here T'm going to have to land." Afrer copping out in the next rhermal he ratlioec.l thac he was beginning his long glide ouL over the treacherous rerrain. I drove ouc ahead of Holl ywoo<l scouring for landing areas. There were none. Panther fences lined both sides of rhe highway in places. The Florida panther is an endangered species and elaborace measures have been taken to keep them off the highway. The chain-link fences stand approximately 15 feet Lall, and would make retrieving your equipment from chc ocher side extremely difficult. ifm>t impossible - rhcrc are no gates. · Hollywood pressed an, apprising me of his lo,A'ltion as he went. As he approached Evergbdes City on the southwest coast of Florida we realized he was about Lo hit a dead end at chc Gulf of Mexico. There was nothing but ocean to the west and no fi.u·ther roads for me co follow him rhrough the swamps to the sourh. Ar chis po inc he pressed crosswind ro the east searching for any signs of usable swamp trails thaL would continue somh. After spotting one d1ar he Llwught might be a possibi lity, he directed me to try driving down it. T immecli:itely got the truck :;ruck. The Everglades js no p lace ro be after dark, whether you arc a pilot or driver. If the mosquitoes Jon't. carry you off, the water moccasins and alligators probably will. Hollywood flew back upwind and circled overhead as T tried to free the truck. Afrcr shifting inco four-wheel drive l was eventually able co slowly back the truck out of rhe swamp. After r was safely out of danger, back on cerra finna, Hollywood continlled east, searching for more trails heading south, hut to no avail. He finally touched down ahour ;i half

.. fly exxtacy Area: 160 sq. ft. a 135 sq. ft.

Span: 40 feet Aspect ratio: 10. 15 '>ink rate: 150 ft/min.

Best l/0: 1'7,5 ~livery time: call rs: red/white, white, blue/white

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mile off rhe main highway where I gladly hiked in on fo or m retrieve him . We hiked his glider and equipment back out lo Lhe Lruck across the slighdy mushy ground. l Iollywood had set a new Florida Stace distance record of 167.3 m iles, eclipsing the old state record of 147 miles which he also held. T his is chc second-longest Hight in the United Srnres easr of rhc Mississippi, jusl behi11J Pele Ldunann's impressive 182-miler from 'l empleron, Pen nsylvania. This is the furthest south :rnyone cnn physically fly from Wallaby and srill end

the flight on dry land. Carlos Bcssa flew 103 miles for his firsr-ever 100-miler. Davis Straub flew 137 miles on his .Exxtacy, sp iral ing down to land just south of lmmokalee. Davis said , "There was no

way Twas going to go over a 30-mile swa mp." When Hollywood and I got back co the truck he said, "Tomorrow is your day co lly. Do you wam tu <lrive back tu Wallaby tonight?" Well, ir was now almosL 8:00 I'M and we could either drive cwo hours home or five hours back co Wallaby. I opted for che two-hour drive home. Hollywood still owes me big rime for rhis one. Ti/ei Mt.shy h,1.s been fly int han.i tliders for 18 years and holdr a Master l?ating. She just set two new Feminine World Records

(pending FA! approval): Straight Distance and Distance to a Declared Goal. See last month's issue o/Hang Glidingfor her story. - Ed. •

FLIGHT DES IGN

..I

North American Parag liding, 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

H ANG GLIDING

Ratings BRONZE SAFE PILOT AWARDS

Region 5 NELSON, DAVE: Billings, MT; Z. Majors/Wasatch Wings

GARY PICKETT

BEGINNER-TANDEM RATINGS Region 2 POPPY, CHRIS: Rio Vista, CA; M. Jones/Wallaby Ranch WALL, BRAD: San Jose, CA; M. Jones/Wallaby Ranch WALL, DUSTIN: San Jose, CA; M. Jones/Wallaby Ranch Region 10 FRESE, CHRIS: Gainesville, GA; M. Jones/Wallaby Ranch HINSHAW, DENISE: Wimer Haven, FL; M. Jones/Wallaby Ranch HINSHAW, ERIC: Wimer Haven, FL; M. Jones/Wallaby Ranch HINSHAW, MARCUS: Wimerhaven, FL; M. Jones/Wallaby Ranch HOOD JR, CHARLES: Fruitland Pk, FL; M. Jones/Wallaby Ranch KEARNS, JIM: Plantation, FL; M. Jones/Wallaby Ranch MCCLINTOCK, ROGER: St Petersburg, FL; M. Jones/Wallaby Ranch MC MANUS, AMANDA: Tampa, FL; M. Jones/Wallaby Ranch PALACIOS, EDGAR: Coral Spgs, FL; M. Jones/Wallaby Ranch PITCHER, BRUCE: Gainesville, FL; M. Jones/Wallaby Ranch QUIGLEY, AMY: Gainesville, FL; M. Jones/Wallaby Ranch SCHWARZENBERG, CORNELIA: Sarasota, FL; M. Jones/Wallaby Ranch SMITH, JEFF: Memphis, TN; J. Prahl/Quest Air WHITE, IAN: Orlando, FL; D. Glover/Wallaby Ranch WHITE, NATALIE: Orlando, FL; M. Jones/Wallaby Ranch Region 11 HAMMEN, ROBERT: San Antonio, TX; M. Jones/Wallaby Ranch

BEGINNER RATINGS Region 2 BRUBAKER, DAYID: San Mateo, CA; P. Harlow/Mission Soaring BURDA, AARON: San Jose, CA; P. Denevan/Mission Soaring FOX, DARYL: Milpitas, CA; P. Harlow/Mission Soaring HERRING, CHRIS: San Jose, CA; P. Harlow/Mission Soaring JOHNSON, GWEN: Fremont, CA; P. Harlow/Mission Soaring LAKE, TRENT: Milpitas, CA; P. Harlow/Mission Soaring LARSON, MIKE: Los Banos, CA; P. Godwin/Western HG MAC DONALD, MICHAEL: San Jose, CA; P. Harlow/Mission Soaring POPPY, CHRIS: Rio Vista, CA; M. Jones/Wallaby Ranch SCHUSTER, STEPHEN: Watsonville, CA; P. Godwin/Western HG WALL, BRAD: San Jose, CA; M. Jones/Wallaby Ranch WALL, DUSTIN: San Jose, CA; M. Jones/Wallaby Ranch YOO, WON: Berkeley, CA; A. Beem/Windsports lnt'I Region 3 GUTHRIE, HEATHER: Temecula, CA; R. Mitchell/The Eagle's Wings MATIER, JAMES: Devore, CA; R. McKenzie/High Adventure SUSKO, DAYID: Long Beach, CA; A. Beem/Windsports Im'l Region4 BARROW, REED: Las Cruces, NM; R. Richardson/Arizona HG KOESTER, CHAD: Phoenix, AZ; R. Richardson/Airzona HG NELSON, MICHAEL: Hobbs, NM; C. Graham/Crossroads Windsports NICHOLSON, KENNETH: Phoenix, AZ; W. Holmes/Sky Masters STEINER, KEVIN: Scottsdale, AZ; W. Holmes/Sky Masters OCTOBER 1998

Region 6 MORGAN, JOHN: Cabool, MO; M. Taber/Lookout Mm FP SPAIN, CHRIS: Little Rock, AR; C. Price/Ozark Mm HG Region 7 BETTS, DOUG: Chicago, IL; B. Kushner/Raven Sky Sports KOWALSKI, CHET: Roselle, IL; C. Thoreson/Lookout Mm FP SCHLIMGEN, LAURA: Poynette, WI; B. Kushner/Raven Sky Sports STACKHOUSE, GUY: Marion, IA; B. Kushner/Raven Sky Sports Region 8 BERK, SCOTT: Dorchester, MA; D. Baxter/Morningside FP DALY, D CAMERON: Newtonville, MA; D.S. Jewell/Fly High HG HARDIE, D FOSTER: Somerville, MA; D. Baxter/Morningside FP KLEIN, PETER: Brattleboro, VT; R. Hastings/Morningside FP RUSSO, THOMAS: Concord, NH; D. Baxter/Morningside FP SHERWIN, GEORGE: Cos Cob, CT; A. Davidson/Tek Flight Products Region 9 CARPENTER, CHARLES: Lexington, KY; C. Thoreson/Lookout Mm FP GAMBILL, ROBERT: Hopewell, VA; A. Torrington/Kiny Hawk Kites MAYER, JEMMA: Lexington, VA; T. Hager/Lookout Mm FP SMITH, SCOTT: Gaithersburg, MD; R. Hays/Maryland School HG Region 10 ARME, JOSEPH: Sarasota, FL; M. Taber/Lookout Mm FP ARTEAGA, ALDO: Hialeah, FL; J. Tindle/Miami HG AXAOPOULOS, JACK: Fuquay Varina, NC; C. Thoreson/Lookout Mm FP CHURCHVILLE, LOU: Orlando, FL; D. Glover/Wallaby Ranch COLE, MICHAEL: Ozark, AL; J. Richardson/Lookout Mm FP DONALDSON, PAUL: Knoxville, TN; C. Thoreson/Lookout Mm FP DUQUE, CHRISTOPHER: Miami, FL; J. Tindle/Miami HG FLETCHER, CURTIS: Aiken, SC; C. Thoreson/Lookout Mm FP FRESE, CHRIS: Gainesville, GA; M. Jones/Wallaby Ranch HINSHAW, DENISE: Wimer Haven, FL; M. Jones/Wallaby Ranch HINSHAW, ERIC: Wimer Haven, FL; M. Jones/Wallaby Ranch HINSHAW, MARCUS: Wimerhaven, FL; M. Jones/Wallaby Ranch HIPP, DAN: College Park, GA; M. Labado/Lookout Mm FP HOOD JR, CHARLES: Fruitland Pk, FL; M. Jones/Wallaby Ranch KEARNS, JIM: Plantation, FL; M. Jones/Wallaby Ranch KRULA, DUANE: Kennesaw, GA; J. Richardson/Lookout Mm FP MCCLINTOCK, ROGER: St Petersburg, FL; M. Jones/Wallaby Ranch MC MANUS, AMANDA: Tampa, FL; M. Jones/Wallaby Ranch 0 NEIL, KIM: Chananooga, TN; C. Thoreson/Lookout Mm FP PAIACIOS, EDGAR: Coral Spgs, FL; M. Jones/Wallaby Ranch PITCHER, BRUCE: Gainesville, FL; M. Jones/Wallaby Ranch QUIGLEY, AMY: Gainesville, FL; M. Jones/Wallaby Ranch SCHWARZENBERG, CORNELIA: Sarasota, FL; M. Jones/Wallaby Ranch WHITE, IAN: Orlando, FL; D. Glover/Wallaby Ranch WHITE, NATALIE: Orlando, FL; M. Jones/Wallaby Ranch YEARGIN, TAMELA: Atlanta, GA; C. Thoreson/Lookout Mm FP ZAGLAUER, 01.AF: Rising Fawn, GA; C. Thoreson/Lookout Mm FP Region 11 BODART, JEAN-CLAUDE: Wichita Falls, TX; M. Jones/Wallaby Ranch GALLEGOS, GERALD: San Antonio, TX; K. Adams/Kiny Hawk Kites HAMMEN, ROBERT: San Antonio, TX; M. Jones/Wallaby Ranch POLLACK, JEFF: Austin, TX; J. Hunr/Go ... HG

Ill Ratings POLLACK, ROY: Austin, TX;J. Hunr/Go ... HG WILLIS, DALLAS: fort Worth, TX; T. Hager/Lookout Men FP Region 12 BARR, TIMOTHY: Pennsauken, NJ; A. Zeger/Kitty Hawk Kites EDMARK, JOHN: New York, NY; D.S. Jewell/Fly High HG GREEN, RICHARD: Ballston Spa, NY; D.S. Jewell/Fly High HG LLARJABEDIAN, ADRIANA: Queens, NY; T. Covelli/Ellenville FP PEDDLE, GREGORY: Garden City, NY; G. Black/Mountain Wings RIEKERT, JUDE: Lodi, NJ; G. Black/Mountain Wings SPAULDING, ERIC: Lansing, NY; D. Guido/Susquehanna FP Region 13 CORDEIRO, MARCO: Brazil; M. Jones/Wallaby Ranch KENNEDY, IAN: N Ireland; M. Jones/Wallaby Ranch

NOVICE RATINGS Region 1 BERKA, GEORGE: Kent, WA; J. Reynolds/Far Up HG MUECKE, SAMMI: Chehalis, WA; R. Muecke/Far Up HG Region 2 CAPEWELL, DALE: Oakland, CA; G. Hamilton/Sacramento HG CHENG, ALEX: Hayward, CA; R. McKenzie/High Adventure MASURA, PAUL: Livermore, CA; D. Yount/Mission Soaring POPPY, CHRIS: Rio Vista, CA; M. Jones/Wallaby Ranch SMITH, JASON: Las Vegas, NV; S. Smith/Airborn Watersports THOMPSON, BRUCE: San Francisco, CA; J. Woodward/Natural Flying WATSON, CHRIS: Foster City, CA; D. Prather/Dream Weaver HG WOLOSHYN, RYAN: Berkeley, CA; G. Andronaco/Berkeley HG Region 3 EARLE, J.C.: Studio City, CA; A. Beem/Windsports Int'! KEMPA, DAVE: Wildomar, CA; P. Phillips/Lake Elsinore Sports MATTER, JAMES: Devore, CA; R. McKenzie/High Adventure RIDGWAY, HARRY: Costa Mesa, CA; P. Phillips/Lake Elsinore Sports Region4 CROFT, MAJ CARL: Avondale, AZ; W. Holmes/Sky Masters HUTCHISON, DAVID: Albuquerque, NM; C. Woods/Up Over NM KOESTER, CHAD: Phoenix, AZ; R. Richardson/Airzona HG NICHOLSON, KENNETH: Phoenix, AZ; W. Holmes/Sky Masters O'DONOVAN, KIERNAN: Denver, CO; M. Windsheimer/Airtime Above STEINER, KEVIN: Scottsdale, AZ; W. Holmes/Sky Masters YATES, KARL: Salt Lake City, UT; Z. Majors/Wasatch Wings ZASTROW, JENNIFER: Aurora, CO; M. Windsheimer/Airtime Above

Region 8 MOONEY, JAIMEE: Marlborough, CT; A. Davidson/Tek Flight Produces MOONEY, MICHAEL: Marlborough, CT; A. Davidson/Tek Flight Products NIXON, BOB: Castleton, VT; J. Atwood/Earth & Sky ROWE, NATHAN: Maynard, MA; D. Baxter/Morningside FP WINSOR, JOHN: Williston, VT; J. Atwood/Earth & Sky Region 9 HOFFMAN, RAYMOND: Baltimore, MD; J. Richardson/Lookout Men FP MUNTZ, ROBERT: Avalon, PA; R. Bachman/Kitty Hawk Kites RUFFING, TOM: Schwenksville, PA; J. Harper/Valley Forge HG Region 10 ARTEAGA, ALDO: Hialeah, FL; J. Tindle/Miami HG AXAOPOULOS, JACK: Fuquay Varina, NC; C. Thoreson/Lookout Men FP COLE, MICHAEL: Ozark, AL; J. Richardson/Lookout Men FP DONALDSON, PAUL: Knoxville, TN; C. Thoreson/Lookout Mtn FP DUQUE, CHRISTOPHER: Miami, FL; J. Tindle/Miami HG ESTORER, MICHAEL: Meridian, MS; J. Cook/Rocket City Airsporcs FLETCHER, CURTIS: Aiken, SC; C. Thoreson/Lookout Mtn FP HINSHAW, ERIC: Winter Haven, FL; M. Jones/Wallaby Ranch HINSHAW, MARCUS: Winterhaven, FL; M. Jones/Wallaby Ranch HIPP, DAN: College Park, GA; M. Labado/Lookout Mtn FP HOOD JR, CHARLES: Fruitland Pk, FL; M. Jones/Wallaby Ranch KEARNS, JIM: Plantation, FL; M. Jones/Wallaby Ranch KRULA, DUANE: Kennesaw, GA; J. Richardson/Lookout Mtn FP MC MANUS, AMANDA: Tampa, FL; M. Jones/Wallaby Ranch PITCHER, BRUCE: Gainesville, FL; M. Jones/Wallaby Ranch QUIGLEY, AMY: Gainesville, FL; M. Jones/Wallaby Ranch RIVERA, STRELNIKOV: Caguas, PR; K. Salko/Team Spirit HG SCHWARZENBERG, CORNELIA: Sarasota, FL; M. Jones/Wallaby Ranch WHITE, IAN: Orlando, FL; D. Glover/Wallaby Ranch WHITE, NATALIE: Orlando, FL; M. Jones/Wallaby Ranch YEARGIN, TAMELA: Atlanta, GA; C. Thoreson/Lookout Men FP ZAGLAUER, OLAF: Rising Fawn, GA; C. Thoreson/Lookout Men FP Region 11 BODART, JEAN-CLAUDE: Wichita Falls, TX; M. Jones/Wallaby Ranch BRADFUTE, TRAVIS:Austin, TX;J. Hunt/Go ... HG CHINCANCHAN, JOB: Austin, TX; J. Hunt/Go ... HG HAMMEN, ROBERT: San Antonio, TX; M. Jones/Wallaby Ranch WILLIS, DALLAS: Fort Worth, TX; T. Hager/Lookout Men FP Region 12 GREEN, RICHARD: Ballston Spa, NY; D.S. Jewell/Fly High HG LLARJABEDIAN, ADRIANA: Queens, NY; T. Covelli/Ellenville FP PEDDLE, GREGORY: Garden City, NY; G. Black/Mountain Wings ROYAL, EDDIE: Ellenville, NY; T. Covelli/Ellenville FP

'-• Region 6 MORGAN, JOHN: Cabool, MO; M. Taber/Lookout Men FP Region 7 BETTS, DOUG: Chicago, IL; B. Kushner/Raven Sky Sports CARROLL, SHAWN: Belleville, MI; N. Lesnow/FlyingAdventures EVONICH III, RUDY: Lansing, Ml; N. Lesnow/FlyingAdventures KOWALSKI, CHET: Roselle, IL; C. Thoreson/Lookout Men FP SCHLIMGEN, LAURA: Poynette, WI; B. Kushner/Raven Sky Spons STACKHOUSE, GUY: Marion, IA; B. Kushner/Raven Sky Sports WALTERS, DEBORAH: Terre Haute, IN; T. Hager/Lookout Men FP

Region 13 CORDEIRO, MARCO: Brazil; M. Jones/Wallaby Ranch KENNEDY, IAN: N Ireland; M. Jones/Wallaby Ranch

INTERMEDIATE RATINGS Region 2 DELISSER, ADRIAN: Foster City, CA; P. Denevan/Mission Soaring DUNN, BEN: Watsonville, CA; P. Godwin/Western HG POPPY, GERALD: Rio Vista, CA; M. Jones/Wallaby Ranch SPINNEY,JOSEPH: Milpitas, CA; D. Yount/Mission Soaring HANG GLIDING

Ratings

WEBSTER, SCOTT JAMES: Redwood fatates, CA; J. Woodward/Natural Flying WEETH, DARREN: Carmel, CA; T. Burcar/Fly Away HG

Region 9 HILL, WILLIS: Marysville, OH; J. Simmers/Ohio Flyers

Region 3 CLARK, GERALD: San Diego, CA; J. Ryan/HG Center

Region 10 WALL, MIKE: Chattanooga, TN; M. Taber/Lookout Mm FP

Region 4 RADMAN, PETER: Salt Lake City, UT; D. Sharp/Free Flight Spons

Region 11 BO DART, JEAN-CLAUDE: Wichita Falls, TX; M. Jones/Wallaby Ranch

Region 7 ABRAMSKI, SLAWOMIR: Chicago, IL; B. Kushner/Raven Sky Sports

Region 12 ROYAL, EDDIE: Ellenville, NY; T. Covelli/Ellenville FP

Region 8 DOWNING, TOM: North Haven, CT; B. Davidson/Tek Flight Products HANLON, GREG: Leominster, MA; D. Baxter/Morningside FP PERRONE, PETER: Danbury, CT; B. Davidson/Tek Flight Products SYED, AAMER ALI: Norwalk, CT; B. Davidson/Tek Flight Products

Region 13 KENNEDY, IAN: N Ireland; M. Jones/Wallaby Ranch

Region 9 BILLINGS, KELLY ANN: Rockville, MD; K. Madden CARRA, KAREN: Takoma Park, MD;]. McCarty GEORG, JAMES: Downingtown, PA; G. Black/Mountain Wings HART, LYMAN: Chantilly, VA; S. Wendt/Blue Sky MEAD, SCOTT: Baltimore, MD; R. Bachman/Kitty Hawk Kites

Region 12 CASPER, BERT: Johnson City, NY KOLYNICH, JAMES: Horseheads, NY

Region 10 DE MARS, DAVID: Peach Tree, GA; C. Thoreson/Lookout Mm FP KOCON, JOSEPH: Atlanta, GA; C. Thoreson/Lookout Mm FP Region 12 DELARDI, CRAIG: Valatie, NY; D. Guido/Susquehanna FP ROYAL, EDDIE: Ellenville, NY; T. Covelli/Ellenville FP

MASTER RATINGS

TANDEM ONE RATINGS JONATHAN ATWOOD ROGER BAKER

TANDEM INSTRUCTOR RATINGS KEVIN SCHMITZ STEVE BURNS

Region 13 CORDEIRO, MARCO: Brazil; M. Jones/Wallaby Ranch KENNEDY, IAN: N Ireland; M. Jones/Wallaby Ranch

ADVANCED RATINGS Region 2 BRAINARD, ERIC: San Francisco, CA; A. Whitehill/Chandelle EGNOSKI II, DALE: Clovis, CA; R. Soares/Central Valley HG KIM, YONG PIL: Sacramento, CA; G. Hamilton/Sacramento HG LOWELL, JAMES: Oakley, CA; D. Jacob/Wings ofRogallo SWANSON, TOM: Placerville, CA; P. Sergenr/Penryn School of Flight Region3 FAZIO, TOBY: Sherman Oaks, CA;]. Greblo/Windsports Im'! FROSCHAUER, DAVID: Valencia, CA;J. Greblo/Windsports Im'! KIMBELL, GRANT: Santa Barbara, CA; T. Burcar/Fly Away HG SCHMAUSS, ALEX: Bishop, CA; D. Conners/Caldera Air Spons Region4 SPERRY, CAROL: Denver, CO;J. Yocom Region 7 BERNEY, PETER: Streamwood, IL; B. Kushner/Raven Sky Sports Region 8 SMITH, M TODD: Milford, CT; J. Nicolay/Morningside FP OCTOBER 1998

1998 TOP 30 SCHOOL/CLUB LEADERS IN BEGINNER (HANG 1) RATINGS ISSUED RANK SCHOOL. ......................................... BEGINNER Lookout Mountain Flight Park ............................... 99 2 Wallaby Ranch ....................................................... 50 3 Mission Soaring Center. .......................................... 27 4 Kitty Hawk Kites .................................................... 25 5 Morningside Flight Park ......................................... 23 6 Miami Hang Gliding .............................................. 15 7 Fly High Hang Gliding........................................... I 0 8 Adventures Unlimited ............................................... 8 9 High Adventure ........................................................ 7 9 Lake Elsinore Sports ................................................ .7 9 Team Spirit Hang Gliding ....................................... .7 9 Wasatch Wings ......................................................... 7 10 Berkeley Hang Gliding ............................................. 6 10 Fly Away Hang Gliding ............................................ 6 10 Mountain Wings ...................................................... 6 10 Quest Air .................................................................. 6 10 Raven Sky Sports ...................................................... 6

Ill Ratings .

11 II

11 11 12 12 12 12 12 12 13 13 13 13 13

Arizona Hang Gliding Center ................................... 5 NWIC ...................................................................... 5 Western Hang Gliding .............................................. 5 Windsports International .......................................... 5 Austin Airsports ....................................................... .4 Boringuen Airtime ................................................... .4 flying Adventure ..................................................... .4 Mountain West Hang Gliding ................................. .4 Rochester Area Flyers ............................................... .4 The Eagle's Wings Hang Gliding ............................. .4 far Up Hang Gliding ............................................... 3 Go ... Hang Gliding ................................................... 3 Sacramento Hang Gliding ........................................ 3 Silver Wings .............................................................. 3 Superior Dragon Flyers ............................................. 3

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

TO OUR FRIENDS RHETT RADFORD JAYNE DEPAIFILIS DAVID GLOVER ARE AT

LOOKOUT MOUNTIAN FLIGHT PARK PLEASE, COME FLY WITH US. CABIN IN THE LZ: 1696 CREEK ROAD WILDWOOD, GEORGIA 30757

706.657 .8485

RANK SCHOOL .............................................. NOVICE 2 3 4 5 6 6 7 8 8 8 8 8 8 9 10 10 10 10 10 10 11 11 11 11 11 11 12 12 12

Lookout Mountain Flight Park ............................... 81 Wallaby Ranch ....................................................... 38 Miami Hang Gliding .............................................. 23 Mission Soaring Center. .......................................... 22 Quest Air ................................................................ 15 Kitty Hawk Kites .................................................... 12 Team Spirit Hang Gliding ...................................... 12 Flying Adventures ..................................................... 9 Airtime Above Hang Gliding .................................... 8 Go ... Hang Gliding ................................................... 8 High Adventure ........................................................ 8 Morningside Flight Park ........................................... 8 Raven Sky Sports ...................................................... 8 Windsports International .......................................... 8 Lake Elsinore Sports ................................................. 7 Arizona Hang Gliding Center ................................... 5 Austin Air Sports ...................................................... 5 Berkeley Hang Gliding ............................................. 5 Boringuen Airtime .................................................... 5 Rocket City Airsports ................................................ 5 The Eagle's Wings Hang Gliding .............................. 5 Ellenville Flight Park ................................................ .4 Far Up Hang Gliding .............................................. .4 Fly Away Hang Gliding ........................................... .4 Silver Wings ............................................................. .4 Wasatch Wings ........................................................ .4 Western Hang Gliders ............................................. .4 Adventures U nlimited ............................................... 3 Dream Weaver .......................................................... 3 Valley Forge Hang Gliding ....................................... 3

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Rankings were compiled from ratings published in the JanuaryOctober 1998 issues o/Hang Gliding magazine.

HANG GLIDING

"30 YEARS COVERING THE COMPLETE FLYING SPECTRUM "

a,.ry's story is wk[ by Randy Kerchill of Tuc~uu, Ariwna. Randy is an avid hang gliJcr pilot who has shaped his lifr around Hying. He wrote rhis children's hook to help explain his personal dream of flight lo die yo unger generation. Randy also sketched d1e original illustrations and collaborated with D.D. Mullins co improve rhem. D.D. Mullins is a professional artist with ;in appreciation for aviation, although he is nor a bang glider pilot. Working together, rhe pair created a series of full-p::ige, full-color illustrations of the sourhwescern countryside that is very appealing ro rhe eye. Harry is a happy rabbic. He wears a permanem grin on hi!i face. In facr, the only time he frowns in d1e whole hook is when rbe other desert critters cell him he c;rn'r fly. Bur never mind rhar Harry doesn't have w ings like his best friend, Ollie rhe owl, he just found a hang glider and his mind is set on learning how to use it. Assisted by Ollie and an insa-ucror, Harry enrers the realm of flight. Harry's adventure is a lesson in perseverance. 1n addicion co giving simple and preci:;e information on rhe workings of a hang glider awl how we learn to fly, it demonstrates to children the resulrs ot maintaining a positive attitude. This me.~sage is ;is valuable as any ocher parr of rhe book. (As a side note, Harry's instructor doesn't have a name in the book, but :rny southwestern pilot or competition pilor will recognize him from his very accurate portrait.) This book also rells a friendship story. The owl's encouragemenrs are an integral pan of Harry's learning process. Harry's success is aided by Ollie's inspiration and the outcome is beneficial co borh, since rhey wil l

Harry And The Hang Glider H By Randall Kerchill Illustrations by D.D. Mullins a book review by Claire Pagen

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hcrnnw fly1 ng h11d<1 ics. /\nyonc wh1l know, childrt".n kno,v, rhaL rhcy arc very observant wlirn ir come:; co derails in srory boub. Wl1at ufte11 appear~ a~ a sm,JI

item wan adult, jumps off the page for ;i yo11ngsrer. H,1rry And The rlan.g Glider is Full oF such details. Harrys "bunny hill" and rhe paper plane mice art' only two examples of how Ran<ly Kerchi ll rdrned his SLory line. These

details will certainly delight children

w ho will love to return to this book over a nd over ag;:iin. J\ good children's story is one rhar <.:an be interpreted on many levels. Randy Kerd1ill JdiniLdy ,ucceeded in this respect. I Iis message is informative as well as ethical and behavioral. Let's not forget the fun factor. Harry shows a loc of enchusiasm for flying, like most all hang gli<ler pilocs. (Some non-Aying partners may, in fact, say th.at we all act like children when

Comments On

Harry And The Hang Glider by Mark Sawyer

ave you ever tried to explain what hang gliding is all about to a yo ung child , only to find that your word.~ ca n't dr:iw an accurate menta l picmre of why you fly? Or have you lrie<l co spark their inreresr about

spending a day al t.he local Dying siLe, but found that yo ur enthusiasm can't compere wirh rhe Aashy c.artoon images of Saturday morning television? Or have you ever jusr wamcd co share yo ur dream:; and rhe realities of flying wich a special yo ung person? Well, this book will help open young eyes to the spore, and help inquisitive young minds understand a licde bic abour why we do chis sLrauge, a<lventurou~ thing we Jo. Jlarry And 'J'he Hang Glider follows the life of a rabbit named Harry, heginning just abo11r the ti me a lird~ twist of fate introduces h im to the world of hang gliding. He explores many of the sport's challenges, adven-

rures, friendships and, of course, the universal dream of re;:illy, re:.illy flying. The srory alsQ tells quite a bit about h.ow we learn to fly, and reminds us just how much fun we had on the " bunny" hill. (Hey, this book's fun for adulrs to read too!) The basics ofhow a glider flies and how a p ilot controls it arc rherc roo, wirh pictures chat make it both <lynamic and easy to understand. There are lo ts of fun litt.le asides (like the little mice that learn to fly a paper airplane while Harry goes through ground school) char may not be noticed rhc first rime chrough. And

around hang glid ing.) Chrisuuas i~ near all(J I woul<l dd~ inicely recommend th i:; buok a~ a girt to any d1ild of five or more. T he rer;ii] price of rhis 40-p;ige, hard-cover, ''rablc gifc" carcgory book (')- 1/2" x J 1-1/2") is $24.95 and you can order it from: Skyhigh Publi:,il1i11g, 201 N. Ty ndall, T ucson, AZ 85719 (520) 628-8165, skynipub@flash.net,

www.tlash.ner/-skyh ip11h •

house, and if Harry inspires a few kids to go om and have fun explor-

ing the real world instea<l of wacchin.g Power Rangers or Ninja Tunles do it for them., it has hit its mark. $ ma II prod liction runs Iike th is arc more often labors of love than commercial money makers, and this one is no exception. The author is a longtime hang glider pilot, and his affection for the sport shows through. Rut one look ar the cover an, or a quick flip thro ugh the inside pages, shows chat chis is a professional production all the way. If you've been searching for a special gift for a yo ung person, somer,h i ng that shares one of the best parts of your life while adding a little fun to theirs, chis may be what you've been lookiug for.

while die b<>ok has a lot to offer a child old e!lough to read alone, iL really shines as som.e thing an adult and younger child can read and ralk about together. Harry also teaches us- a few lessons abour hon.esty, friendship and working hard to reach a goal. None of us became p ilots by sitting around the

Mark Sawyer is president ofthe Southern Arizona Hang Gliding Association, the oldest Chapter ofthe United States Hctng Gliding Association. He has been tlrl rtl'live prop01wn1 of ideas cmd services to both organiZ1ztions for rnore than 20 yea,:r. ii ·

REGION 5 Frank Gillette (R - 99) Rt 1 Watercyn 8 Declo ID 83323 (208) 654-2615 Watercyn@cyberh ighway. 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 Boloski (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

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 Box3274 Santa Barbara CA 93130 (805) 692-9908 tburcar@juno.com Gregg Lawless (R - 99) 9127 Bittercreek Ln San Diego CA 92129 (619) 484-2056 gelawles@enova.com

Paul Klemond (H - 99) (PG Accident Chaii'J 3612 NE 43rd St Seattle WA 98105 (206) 525-5765 paul@kurious.org

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

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

Rob Kells (H - 98) 500 Blueridge Ave Orange CA 92665 (71~ 998-6359 rob willswing.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 Scott Gasparian (R- 99) c/o LWHS 755 Ocean Ave San Francisco CA 94112 (415) 282-2753 gaspo@igi.org Ed Pitman (L - 98) PO Box 188 Shasta CA 96087 (916) 359-2392 epitman@c-zone.net Ken Brown (H - 99) 1795 401h Ave San Francisco CA 94122 (415) 753-9534 kennyb2u@aol.com

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

REGION 6 Jeff Sinason (R - 99) 12954 Ballantine Ct Saint Louis MO 63146 (314) 542-2473 jsinason@itdcomm.com REGION 7 Bill Bryden (R - 98) (HG Accident Chaii'J 6608 North 100 East Rd Seymour IN 47274 (812) 497-2327 hm bbryden@hsonline.net Dan Johnson (L - 98) 8 Dorset St St Paul MN 55118 ~ 12) 450-0930 umulusMan@aol .com REGION 8 Randy Adams (R - 98) PO Box 369 Claremont NH 03743 (603) 543-1760 randyadams@cyberportal.net REGION 9 Pete Lehmann (R - 99) 5811 Elgin St Pittsburgh PA 15206 (412) 661-3474 LPLehmann@compuserve.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

REGION4 Mark Ferguson (R - 98) 1173 Ridgeview Cir Broomfield CO 80020 (303) 931-8075 mark@ballvarios.com

Art Greenfield (X) 1815 N Ft Meyer Dr Ste 700 Arlington VA 22209 (703) 527-0226 NM@ids2.idsonline.com

Jim Zeiset (R - 99) 13154 County Rd 140 Salida CO 81201 (719) 539-3335 jimzgreen@aol.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 (3526 245-8263 gray ird@praxis.net Grei De Wolf (H - 99) PO ox607 Corolla NC 27927 (919) 453-4800 DeWolf7@aol.com REGION 11 Dave Brotes (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) 74 7-7845 larslinde@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 Philt Bachman PO ox 1330 Colo SprinHs 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

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SERIES

n<l since mainstream promotional hype has crept imu the hang glidinc industry, many llyc::r:, have found chcmsclves forced into an ide11Licy crisis (uul w mcncion a hnancial crisis) over which wing chcy should be buying :tnd Aying. Pilocs arc:: :,howing signs of stress nor .~ren before in d1i:. tradicionally mosc-frcc-spirired of all recreauoual activities. rorcunacely, toward the end of each season there is always an event geared roward the real meaning of the sport having f11n Aying with your friends. There is a pbce to go where the mountains are tall and he:mtiful, the air is clean and coul (sometimes wee) :rnd where the nyers go to lly. For 25 years d1e pilors ac Telluride have pur on a parcy-in-the-sky, an Airman's Rcnde1.v011s, and invited all advanced pi lots co arrend. Ha11g gliding at Telluride started in I ')72 when Je£f Campbell made the first flighc in the ski arc::a. Jc£f and some of his ski patrol friends and others got heavily inco hang gliding ac Telluride. Once chcy proved char they could fly hang gliders rhere, die:: ncxc thing co do was put on a festival. The Coonskin Carnival was an established ski-racing festival organized by non-flyer John Miceric. He de::t:idc::d rhac hang gliding should he a part of hi:. lestival, and as a rcsulr che firsr hang glidiJ1g festival took place in 1973. The ongmal TAF memberswereJeffCarnpbcll, D:ivid Sranfield, Mitch ScanfidJ. Bob Sc. O nge, Garry Gross. Joe Kray, Clint Wolf: Jack Carc::y, Dennis Srenslin and Peter Sla<.:k. JdTCampbell spenr rwo of his early years of haug gliding ('73 and 74) in New Zealand flyiug and skiing for :i film called OfJThe Edge. If you ever gee a chance co see ir, you will not l>t:: <lisappoinccd . le is a superbly fi111ed, half skiing, half hang gliding adventure story ~hoc at Moum Cook NacionaJ Park. Some might remember whe::u Jeff showed 11s rhe hang gliding half at a fe::~t ival several years ago. When l went to Moum Cook for an "Expedition Earrh" tilm in 1990. our head guiJe::, Cavin Wills, who also guideJ on the Uf!The Edge shoot, showed us his 16m m copy. le is a gre::ac film! For those underprivilegc::d pilots who have never heen to Telluride, some explanation is in order. Tellu ride is a 123-ycarold mining town at 8,750 feet MSL elevaOc1ol:!ER 1998

THE TELLURIDE

HANG GLIDING FESTIVAL'S

(Rainy, But Good) 'J 'he atmosphere of the 1998 flying season has been somewhat overbearing for the majority of hang gliding enthusi11sts. Not since the ear/,y days of the sport have pilots been inundated with so many decisions regarding choice ofgliders.

Scenes f01n the Telluride Hang Gliding Festi.val in the mid1.970 's. Photos by Leroy Grannis.

H ANG GI IDING

lion in ;1 hox crnyon in the San Juan Mou mains of sourhwestern C:olor:-ido. Tr was originally called Colwnbia, but the name was changed when the clement tclluriu m was discovered in lhe area, which occmg in nature as an ore called telluride. The surrounding area has many peaks at around 14K. which, of course, remain s11owc:1ppe<l all summer. le is an alpine area. Moumains Ll1is high ten<l co create their own weather, and il is seldom gooJ. we;irhrr. lJ nder.~r:i ncl rhnr ir precipitates often in lcll uride. (There would nor be a major ski area there if it did nor.) In rhe wincer il snows. No om: complains about the snow. Skiin~, you know. In the summer it rai ns. No o ne complains about the rain except visiting hang glider pilots. The people who inhabit Telluride know it rains a kn, anJ they like it there anyway. They I Lave goLLe11 lheir mine.ls right abour ir, and char is whac acccndees al die Hang C liding Fe.stival should do. ln order to fully enjoy the Telluride H :ing Gliding Festival you need to get your mind right about the weather. This year's festival was very enjoyable :rnrl there was plenty of Ayable weather, even rho11gh ir rained often. To rake foll advanraac of rhe flying :1r Telluride one should understand rhar the normal wead1er pattern during lare summer is a southerly llow of moist air. This usually means clear skies in rhe morning with overdevelopm<".nr and thundershowers in rhc afternoon. Those who rhink of it as a vacation with rhe oppormnity co sleep in, expecting to fly only in lhe booming afternoon thermals (and enjoy Lhe great alrirude gains for which Telluride is famous) may be in for a big disappointmcnr. I have compered in the freestyle conresc sinci;: 1984. In the early years they ran only evening rounds. l would go up on rhe earlie.sr rransport (around 8:30 ro 9:00 AM), set up ar the Re:ir Creek launch, and take off for a practice run at abour 10:30 co J l :00, usually into Bear Creek. 13y this time the sun has been warming the west side of Bear Creek for a few hours, and l found it soarable almost every rime. Tf a light west wind happens to be overpowering rhe Bear Creek eonvecLio11. you can launch co che west and, perhaps, cue across at Temptation. Then you c.an still work rhe early Uear Creek thermals. You shou ld not expect to set an OCTOBER 1998

:iltirnde record this way, but you can get an hour of rhe.rmaling in light lift above launch. J\nd you will he w:-iy ahead of rhose who sleep in, arrive at launch in time for the overc.levdopmenr and ride down rhe mountain in the rain. Then, if the weather still looks promising, you are ready ro go np for the big air in the afternoon. Over the years rhe Telluride Hang Gliding Festival has be;:en host to many esteemed guescs. Dr. Paul McCrea<ly, che originator of speed-to-fly cheoiy and who designed and b11ilr rh.e Gossamer Condor and Gossamer Albatross human-powered airplanes, acccndcd in 1981. Chuck Yeager was at the fescival around 1980 w sec hang gliding, and he really saw hang gli<l-

shot on 16mm film by Scocr Ransom, Ron Kamer and Dan Ein:miller. This was an excellenl piece wiLh spectacular footage seen by millions of Americam on one of rhe mosr prestigious TV shows. Hang gliding schools should have been inun<lared by scudenr applicants after the airing, we thought. Ic is obvious by now that the average human just does not care about hang gliding. And perhaps that is a good rhing. A~ usual, che org:m izers of rhe Festival kept us enrercained in rhe evenings wirh programs and such ac the Nugget Theater and the pubs. This year, of course;:, the ropic was the early days of hang gliding. Craig Pirnzzi put together a slide show of Jeff Campbell's and Bob Sr. Onge's pho-

ing. Jack Carey took him tandem! In

cos of rhe first few years of Telluride flying. Jeff, Reggie Jones and David SrnnGdc.l uarrated the slide show and a video made up of super-8 film3 from David Stanfield, Mile Moore, John Dunham and Jolrn Coyne, showing the locals and visirors flying standards off rhe ski area anc.l i.n che Telluride valley. The film indu<le<l che;: often talked about but seldom seen sl10L of Reggie Jones landing a standard on "Main Street" right in front of the Last Dollar. The glider-mounted film of this was credite;:d co John Dunham, another of the very early pilots and Reggie's traveling partner at rhe rime. The story goes chat Clinr Wolf had a lumber yard on "Main Screet'' (which is really Colorado Avenue)

1997 Bill Lishman of Corne on Geest· an<l Fly Away Home fame gave a great presentation about his goose migration work. These are just a few who come to mind. The Tell uric.le Hang Gliding Festival has had 'l'Y or film coverage;: just abouc every year since its inception. ln 1985, National Geographic Explorer covered the Festival. I recall '85 a.~ one of the rainiest years ever; all but one round of the freesryle contest were;: raine;:<l our. But srill there was enough good flying wearher to ger great footage for the segment called "High Altitude H:rng Gliding." It was Micch McAleer's first of six (T believe) championships. Mitch has won rhe World Aerobatics Championships more rimes than anyone else. The footage was

Continued on pagt· 46. 41

PILOT PROFILE

When I interview a pilot for Hang Gliding magaz ine I am looking for someone u1ho reflects the general, ovemll readership. By all accounts, female pilots are the minority within the sport and make up the

((smallest package of the bundle~ " but we ail know that good things come in small packages. Denise Lindquist is a good example ofthis. I would like to share her with y ou. Read on and enjoy. JP: Denis,', mrlfl)' ofthe W7trst Co,tst.pilots /mow you well but would you please introduce yourselfto those ofus who don't? DL: Well, I am a 35-ycar-old, pcrice woman who lives in d1e small Northern California town of Mill Valley. I am ecscarically married to my husband Peter, wh o is the light of my life. We have no children, but arc rhe proud parents of a bunch of noisy, lovable, crazy parrots. I am a writer. artist, poet, musician, gouanet cook and a Novice hang glider pilor. T have a rather wicked sense of humor, and love making orher people laugh. Some people chink I am a bit crazy, but isn't that the way life is? I love life, family. Hying, people, an<l all of the great things and challenges that I have had che oppormnity to encounter in life. Yes, life can be quire inrerescing, bur isn'r that true for anyone who dares ro live life 200%?

JP: I first rnet you when I read)'Our poetry aboM hanK gliding. ft immediately affected me. ft is obvious to me that_you have a deep association with the sport. Would you please expound on that relationship? DL: My relationship with flying now rhar is an interesting question. Flight, specifically toot-launched Aigh t, touches my heart: and soul. Thar is why I find it very easy co describe flying through my poetry. In fact, flying is the essence of my poetry. 1 find flight ro be very sensual and spiritual. There is somerhing about being one with rhe sky that cakes m y breach away. Touching i:h e sky and being uue witl1 tl1e universe... le rakes all of your senses and all of your mind co fly well. lt is what 1 call a "meal commirmenr sporr." Yo u can't do things halfway. Either be there I0 0% or 42

don't fly at all. I like livin g my life that way. It sometimes gets me in trouble, but why live only half.vay? Flying is also something chat gives me a new motivation to Jive. I have had nu merous physical problems since I was a small d1ild, and have been told many t·i mes that l couldn't do something That

An Interview

With

qu ite humid the next mominf?j, Visibility was good, and rhere were hundreds of tiny, puffy, clouds below us. Once r gor off tow and could look around, there were several rainbows in all chose douds. What a glorious sight. I do admit that I also enjoy the social aspect of this sporr. T have mer some of my best friends through hang gliding. Before I starml flying, I was a hang-driver. l truly cherish the J'u11 a11d comp,rnionship within the flying communiry. Whenever I would go to Southern California to visit, T would make a poinr of heading om w Crcsdine or Elsinore. I would volunteer to drive or just hang our with the pilots.

JP: Who have been your mento1:r and how have they influenced you?

DL: Wow, I have so many. There are so

Denise

by Jim (Sky Dog) Palmieri H A N G GLIDI NG'S drove me crazy. In recent years l have had some health p roblems that have limited what I could do; ar one point I couldn't even walk wirhour a cane. My vision had beeu damaged <lut: to a rt:tinal rumor, and r have constant chronic headaches from this. The only time that I am able co move beyond chis pain is when I am flying. T he only ocher time that l have felt such intense joy is when I goc married w Peter. So, when I have a ba<l clay, I think about flying. le helps me keep going, knowing that I can do something uniq ue. Tt takes me to p b ce.s that mosr people on chis planer will never gee co go.

JP: As a new Novice pilot, would you shttre with u.s which aspect ofthe sport excitesyou. the most? DL: I chink ic is the beauty, freedom , an<l joy of being one with the air and sky. 1 remember a morning landern les~on I took while I was at the Wallaby Ranch rhis summer. There had been a large thunderstorm the day before, and ir was

many great pilots who have been so generous with rheir rime, knowledge, advice an<l wonderful flying stories. I ch.ink my fim and besl mentor is my husband Peter. Fie has been 100% supportive in my flying endeavors. I also want to mention my instructor here in the Bay Area, Alan Kenny. He has been a parienc, competent and fun person co work wirh. I also appreciace d1e facl that he has ma<le me earn my ratings. l may nor progress as fost as others, bur I know I will be a safe pilot when I finish . Talso have ro mention the entire crew at the Wallaby Ranch iu Florida. Peter and I just returned from a 10-day vacation down there and we had a ball. Malcolm Jones and David Glover are wonderful instructors. Their program of teaching has given me many new skills and more confidence in my flying skills, wh ich I have now been able to transfer co my flying at home. I defmirely want ro acknowledge all of my buddies on the HG list on the Tnterner. (IfI tried to list all of them, ir wou ld take up a whole magazine!) Then rhere is HANG GLIDING

Tim :-ihc,1, whn rnok me on my fi1 sLtandem tlighi. Boy. I w;1s hooked from rhac llrst 1nomcn c. T han ks fo r that wonderful inu oduuion T im. 1 also wa11 1 tu 1m:mion a good friend of mine, Bob Mackey. T here is sorne[hing ahom his arritude about Aying that I really like - a "just do it" kind of 1hin1:7,, very rdaxcd, where flying means having a guud time as well as challenging o nt"selt. l watched him Hy at Wallaby Ranch rN·en tly, and he is ama:t.ingly good. If l can Ay :is wdl as he does someday, J will be very happy :i nd fi.ilfilled.

JP: Would you p!etlse describe in detail your most memorable flight?

W., ' "

r ,ay ab,m

TJenise? Shes a co/o,ful presence. She h,:1.s the lust for l~/i: and the spirit of adventure

that draws so many ofus to the sport ofhang gliding. Her descriptions ofher tandem flights are inspirational and always make my work day a

little brighter. We've shared lots ofnon-flying adventures, and Jim glctd to catl her my ftie,ul -

Nancy Smith (I lang TV pilot and cyhe r fr iend)

DL: You only w:rnr one flight? (ROTR 1) Well, just co be greedy, T'II tell you

abouL twu. One Hight char sricks in my mind ro chis day is a tandem flight I cook .......................................................................................................................................................

Lindquist FLYING T ROUBADOUR

................................................................................................................................................... with my friend Ke n Howells. l was in Soll[hern C alifornia for a two-week s tay. l had coc 1necte<l with Ken via the "Ner" :.ind T volunteered co drive for him. He had offe red to take 1ne fo r a mo uncain tandem Aighr from Crestline in exchange Cor my driving. Well, it was an offer l

could nor refuse. 1 had never flown from a mounLain ur d1ermaled before. We had rhe best time boaLing around in che ridge lift, then hunting for thermals uu a

pleasant, sunny ,ifrernoon. It was so cuol cu rise up graceful ly on those

colum us of ri:;ing air, chc challenge oF staying wirh the lift, wich grace and strength combined.

My ocher most memorable flighr was very shore, but no less sweet. Tr was the day T gor

my first perfect flight off the training dunes at

O crol.{~K 1991.3

,•

Marina Beach . J

articles on female pilors in magazines (guess this one is a

lw-l been .m11ggling all morning, whacking and och-

scare), and maybe we can work with you ng girls co lee them know that chey can fly. l plan on arrangmg co go into some of our local schools with my glider and teach children ahout fl ying. l grew up around aviation, but never thought chat l could be a pilot of any aircr:ift. Flying hang

erwi~e nut getting ir. My instructor

called for a b reak, and we went over whac could be going wrung. AfLer som e careful review, it turned out rhar T was sorr of jumping inco the left side of the control frame when I law1ched. I also had too many

things going on in my mind and was

gliders and paragliders has

not focusing on my flying. So. I climbed back imo

my gear, and tried again.

For some rca-

nise has kmg had a yeaming t() fly, but worldly ronsideratiom were getting in the

wa_11. She once agreed to trade me a day's service as driver for a tandem flight from me. I

proved me wro ng. I can be a p ilot and be very much a woma n. l like

being very femi-

:;on, this time wa:; accepted. Her unflagging enthusiasm while I flew was rewarded with excellent conditions nine, yet strong very d ifferent. A.II when it was time for her tandem flight. 7he instant we were in the air l knew she was going and athleLic. I have to become a pilot, and a pilot to be reclwned with. Eve,y time I fly with a tandem passenger of the outside dismet men (apologies who is really excited to be in the air it rekindles my own excitement. The "contact high"from to the ones w ho rraccions seemed to Denise was amazing. 'lx:e were both grinning ear to ear in the LZ. Pilors tend to be either disappear. I p icked have supported Clark Kents or Characters. Denise is a Charac"T - without a doubt, the kind that brings up my wing, lcvme) who have said vitalif:y and spark to th1; Jport. T}g rnor1; pilots d11;r1; are Iik1; Im; t.}g beu,,,: de<l it, an<l char they <lon'r launched. No fear, wanl women to ily. - Ken Howel ls (USHGA Tandem Tnstrucror) f don't u nderstand no effort, a very ?:en-like mome nt ir. Some old d inosaur macho arrirude, I guess. of peace and serenity. My wing lifted me affordable equipment for m y petite size. I up off the ground, an<l I was in wtal conam currently unemployed , so a new glider is our of the question. It took over six trol of chis flight. l glided down the JP: What are your goals in the sport (over beach, right on target. 1:ior the first time l months of searching to find a glider that the next fiv1; ye11r~)? could feel the wing telling me that it was was my size and in my price ra nge. J ended up with a pristine Bill Bennett origi nal ti me ro fbre. I pushed our and landed DL: I :im looking forw:i rd to rhe d:iy Dream 145. Her name is Kernel, and I when I can thermal soar on my own. I gendy on my feec. WOW! I could nor swp sm iling an<l jumping up and down. am very happy with her. A frieu<l luaned have ha<l s<::veral rhe rmal tandems, (hang me a knee lunger/trai ni ng harness, so I Thal day I earned my Hang L July gliding and paragliding) and have found was very lucky. One of the biggest probl •ourth, 1997. independence Day! riding a thermal at 1,000+ up to be a joylems in my area has been rhe lack of ous experience. Talso look forv1a rd ro my JP: / ls both a new pilot and a female rraining sires. I have co drive for an hour first X -C fl ight. There is something about pilot, what barriers ifany have you encounand a half to gee to E<l Levin Park, which exploring unknown cerritory and chalis the closesLsiLe we have. All od1er Lrainlenging my own knowledge au<l :;kills tm:d whi!t· learning to fly? ing/flying sites are ac least two to three char excices me. Yes, there are ti mes when hours away. DL: I have had several people actively flying for the fun of it withou t any pressure can be che greatest thing since sliced cry co discourage me from flying. At this particular sire rhere arc almosr no female JP: Do you have any suggestions for bread, bur sometimes you jusr gorra go pilots, so I wonder ifl am a threat co bringing more jermde pilots into the sport? for ir! (I'm jusc a "slighcly" aggressive pertliem. J Lhin k since L also enjoy being a son, aren'L l?) driver, some of the guys did not want to DL: Build more small gliders for petite l also want to do whac l can to bring lost rhei r tra nsporrnrion. Oh wel l. .. p ilots. And make rh is sport accessible to new people i.nro Foot-hunched flighr. T more women. I would like ro see more I have also had a hard time ttnding ado re hoth hang gl id ing and pa ragliding,

H ANG GLIDING

---

,lllll ,, ill L,1lk about it wit It anyone who

will li~1cn . Ir's fu nny, bur many ul' my lne11d1, in C0\\'11 can .1n11a lly rell ifl have bct.:11 lh·ing rcccndy, because I always have a silly g1i11 fur a week ali:cr flying.

J P: !fwu, l,11d the ,tbility l.u change some mpecr ofthe sport, what would it be 11nd w~y? DL: 1 here are a couple of things T woulcl like ro change. I would like ro nuke sure rh:ir people earn their raLings, noc jusc get a sign-off from rheir buddies. I have pcr~onally wirncssecl people getting ~igned off fo r 1asks char chey did nor complr'rc. l would also like lO see whar we could clo :ihout che judgmem porrion of a raring. [ have ~een ~omc siruation~ iu which a lack of good Jllclgment on che pan uf a piloc could have cosr both the pilot and LI 1u:;e surrounding him cb rly. I don't ever wam w witm:ss somcching like chis again. Unfonunacely, it i:. <liHiculc ro cell whac a person's judgment capabilicies

L.,

,1,,,,

m, h,gin by ,,a,ing ,hmi on/yon, /)mU, , and (nnfo" •maM1•fi, "'")"'" l'lsc) I've got he,·! While shl''s r1 bi1 Lough to keep up with someuml's (she;· r1 long-distance biqc/,, fanrtti,·, epic roller s!ut.te1; dancer, musician, pou - you get thf' idM), J mn I imr1gim· what life would be like without her. She was the one who got me back into hang glidinK, after I'd given it up JO years ngo. She's gi,ven me unending support as I've siruggled m rdearn the WIIJJ ofthe wind. So whm sh,· t'xpressed a desire to try it herself, I set out to give her the best. 'J 'his Lurrml out to be Tim Shett (AKA "Tandem Tim"), who h,15 likely instructed more, and more diverse. students thnn ,myo!le dse in the westenz lJ.S. The Klow in Dmist's eyes after 25 minutes in the roastal air, sortring a small ridge, said ie all. I started Looking for a wingfar hn the next d11y. whde she set out interviewing instrttcttm. Despite several setbacks, she's persevaed and has achieved both her Hang f and Hang I{ ratings. Along the way, she's touched mrmy lives, and taught us nll nbout wh111 it means to live one's dream. 1 so proud ofher.

Peter Lindquist (Hang TV pilot and hush:md)

have le::irned from Peter's attitude is char you can always fly another day. Launching when che concli rions. equipment, or pilot are noc in rop shape, is an accident waiting to happen.

are.

fa,·quttf' ,·ome time. Whflt influences has he

JP: It's obvious, after talking to your husband Peter, that you are his Juliet. Would you please share with us thiJ special and

had 011 you ttJ tr pilot'

intense relationship.

DL: Pe rc r has made ir possible for me co fly. I don'r chink l could have done it wirhour his love. support and help ca rryinc my glicit'r up that blasted training hill. (Laughs!) Honestly, he has given me che w11li<len<.:e. knowledge :rnd information co help 111 c.: make good decisions regarding my safety and Hyiug. The one thing T

DL: Well, we do have somcching special. Peter and I have been together for uver 14 years. I am madly in love wid1 him and proud of everything he does. We have been Lhrough our share of difficulties in our life together, as well as great joy. Our Aying relationship is special coo.

JP: Yo111 hmb,md, Puer, has been a pilot

When we met, Pecer wa~ an Inrcrmcdiare pilot. Tt wa~ .something chat (a~cinaccd me, knowing rh:ir rhe man l loved Hew like a hawk. Bue between gc-rring married and all of the things that go wirh marri:ige, he chose to quit Hying shortly ;ifrcr our wedding. Lthink that he did not wanr flying to ger in the way of our relatiuJ1slti p, especially .~ince many of his frien ds hac.l problems find ing :i balance between marriage and flying. Unfortun::irdy, the marriag~ were usually wh:ir suffered . Over the next IO years or so, 1 knew char Perer missed flying dearly, bur life Lhrew us a numher of nasry ·'sink cycles" and il was noc possible for him to go back into Oyi11g. Whenever we wo11ld pass fort Funston, near Sa11 Francisco. he Continued 011 prlle 56.

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Legends and Stories Ab'out The Ea rly Days of Hang Gliding and Paragliding ~

Dedicated to Francis Rogallo Over 500 pages by more than 100 contributors Articles, Illustrations, Photographs, Poetry and much more... Editors: Jim (Sky Dog) Palmieri & M aggie Palmieri Illustrator/Cartoonist: M ike Vorhis

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Continued ftom page 41. that became the first TAF "hangar." Several pilots were landing there regularly for a week or two until Clint got a ticket (which he still has) for landing a hang glider on a public street. That was the end of the infamous street landings. The older pilots in the crowd saw flyers they had not seen in many years, and the younger audience saw things they had never seen before, like a Quicksilver flying without an engine. We saw film of people flying off Ajax, Ballard and Imogene Pass. These are sites that no one has flown since those early days, except Craig Pirazzi. Craig has done some sky mountaineering involving landings on and launches from Ballard and Ajax. This program was extremely well received. I believe it was standing room only in the Nugget that night. Luigi Chiarani, this year's festival organizer, had one of the best ideas I have ever seen at the Telluride Hang Gliding Festival. He put a TV/VCR under the "high tension membrane" tent in Town Park and stacked some videos on it contributed by Tom Tatum and others. It gave people hang gliding to watch any time of the day. At times people brought their own tapes to show. I noticed Double High showing often as I passed by. I suffered a mild knee injury that precluded my flying at the Festival. Fortuitously, Brad Gryder of Foothills Flight Park in North Carolina volunteered to fly with my camera mounted on a demo Saturn on Sunday. I had mounted my camera on his Predator on Saturday. Brad and I arrived at launch around 11 :00 AM. Everyone else was already setting up on the west launches, even though the wind was up Bear Creek at 5-10 mph. We set up the glider and camera, and Brad launched into Bear Creek. Within several minutes he was 2,000' over and heading off toward Palmyra to take some pictures while everyone else was still sitting on the west launches where it was still blowing down. Of course, before long the launch cycles became favorable and all flyers got their share of the four necessary food groups: adrenaline, altitude, airtime and speed. One feature of the area that plays a major role in salvaging bad-weather days is called Paradox. When the wind is south and it looks like general rain for the day at Telluride, you can head northwest about an hour and a half to a very inter-

esting arid place almost at the Utah border known as the Paradox Valley. It is about 20 miles long, about five miles wide and hosts a 2,000-foot red cliff facing south-southwest. The cliff was formed by the tilting of a gargantuan chunk of sedimentary rock a long time ago, about when Bill Bennett started hang gliding, I think. If you have never seen Paradox you are in for a real treat. It is one fantastic-looking place, and one of my favorite sites for taking pictures. Once in the air above this spectacular cliff you might almost imagine you are soaring sixty-million years ago, sharing a thermal with a pterodactyl. But there are signs of humanity to snap you back to reality such as the world's largest openpit uranium mine several miles to the southeast, and a very nice retrieval road through the valley. Be sure to stop into the Bedrock Store if only for a cold drink. Stepping across the threshold is like a trip back in time. Several years ago I was privileged to speak with two interesting and very experienced gentlemen who maintained the road to launch and beyond. They told me about how this place got its name. Normally a river runs parallel to and through the valley. Here the Dolores River runs across the valley. Most rivers in North America run from north to south. The Dolores runs south to north. They say you can drill for a well and hit bedrock 20 feet down, then you can move over a short distance and drill for hundreds of feet without hitting anything. Up the road a ways toward Utah there is a flowing well alongside the road that has never dried up. The locals will tell you, "Fill your jugs; it's good water." Paradox has a lake on top with an unimproved camping area. It is often flyable at Paradox when it is raining or too south at Telluride, and there are two launches on top. The cliff launch is in a better position for getting up, but is sketchy in strong wind. The road launch is somewhat more rounded, but still rather cliffy and can be dangerous in strong wind. It faces a slightly different direction. The wind is often too strong, but do not give up until sunset. The wind often abates in the evening, leaving you with a wonderful glass-off and fabulous lighting and shadows for your photographs. Please be aware that there are hideous

stories of blown launches at Paradox. Once you see it you will know that this is no place to make a mistake. You will need an advanced understanding of launch techniques and conditions, plus a responsible attitude in order to avoid mishaps if the conditions are moderate to strong. A responsible attitude means not trying it if you are not sure. Of course, conditions can be excellent, but be ready for anything, including switching wind, sudden showers and power lines on your late afternoon landing approach. One evening about a dozen of us landed in the obvious field along the road right below launch. As we folded our wings a local woman stopped to warn us that we had landed in the wrong place. She said the owner was mean. We hurried to get out, but it was too late. The owner had arrived with a rifle in the rear window rack of his pickup. He told us that the sheriff was on his way and no one was going anywhere. I had a bad feeling about this. I wondered if this was the notorious landowner we had heard about for years, the one who seemed to hate hang gliders. As it turned out, it was. His initial demeanor was quite unfriendly, but I thought I recognized it as the "best defense is a good offense" technique. He was approaching a large group of people trespassing on his land, so he did not know what to expect. It was understandable. Fortunately, there was not an arrogant person in our group. I spoke with him for a while and found that his only real concern was liability. That was it. We had found common ground on which we could agree, that is, the absolutely goofy liability situation we have in this country. JT told the landowner about our USGHA insurance, and about a law in Colorado that protects a landowner from litigation if someone gets hurt while trespassing. He gave us his name and address and said if his lawyer likes our insurance and the new law he would be glad to let us land there. But until we hear the official word from him it is very important to not land on his property. The only legal place to land is a light-colored square field to the far right oflaunch and some glide out, so leave yourself enough altitude to make it. So, the man we most feared turned out to be a very reasonable person. In fact, he is a retired 40-year professional HANG GLIDING

- ~

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Limy Smith

wf/ilingfar a lull nt the

Paradox cl~ff launch, assisted

by]T, Bob Fflris, David

Wright, Tip Rogers and Bruce Hawk.

Photo by John Heiney. 0CTOOCR 1998

TOP TRFT: Jeff Campbell, w/10 made the fint flight in the Telluride ski area in 1972. Photo by Leroy Grannis. OTHER PHOTOS: Scenes from this year's Festival Photos by John Heiney. 48

pilot, so he knows the love of flying. \Vhrn thl' sheriff came the landowner rold him rhat everything had been worked out. Once he had gone the sheriff rold us he thought the man's bad reputation had come from a run-in with a pugnacious and belligerent hang glider pilot in the past. I wonder who that could have been. Telluride was rainy this year, but I think everyone got a good amount of flying in between the showers. It did rain every day between Monday and Friday, bur I believe only one day was a total rain-out. People went up the hill on all of the other days and got good flights by watching the conditions and launching at the right time. The best procedure was to go up early and get your flying in before the overdevelopment. Then the weekend brought two absolutely fabulous soaring days. Those who stuck it out during the trying days during the week were rewarded with an entire weekend of the kind of flying for which Telluride is famous. There were plenty of fair-weather cu's, blue sky and that outrageous San Juan Mountain scenery for everyone. We saw the increased number of rigid wings which is the new "norm" at many hang gliding sites in this country. Jim Zeiset and Bob Lowe skied out on their Exxtacies and Steve Lantz zipped around on his brand-new Millennium. Paris Williams dominated this year's freestyle con test flying a Predator 142. Paris is a young man who is dedicated to the sport of hang gliding, and to crosscountry racing. He also shows himself to be a well-rounded pilot by his enthusiasm and aptitude for freestyle. He finished fourth at Aspen earlier this year behind Mitch, Aaron and Dieter. In the absence of those established competitors, Paris, in his first year of competition, won all four rounds to become the 1998 World Aerobatics Champion. Since I could not fly I offered my Predator to Zac "Zippy" Majors, who flew very smoothly and banked steeply to place second. John Nagyvary took third also flying a Predator. Scott Heiple was fourth on an HP II. It was a good, safe contest. All the competitors had a good time and expanded their knowledge of freestyle. Paris won $400 for his first place finish plus a special $100 bonus donated by Bruce Hawk of Hawk Airspons (makers of the Windsok ™). OCTOBER 1998

Many thanks to the freestyle judges without whom the contest would be impossible. Scott Stuart gets the longestdrive award for coming from Southern California to judge. I think it was worth the drive from an airtime standpoint, since he was seen skying out on Saturday. Also judging were Jeff Burroughs of Aspen, Jeff Mallin and head judge Hugh Sawyer of Telluride. Special appreciation goes to future pilot McCabe Mallin, who worked diligently helping Luigi at headquarters and who made his announcing debut at the World Aerobatics Championships. He says he will be back next

''Looking back onth'.[!'2_5 years ofthe Telluride Hang Gliding Festival 1. tvouul observe that it is like life.It is all attitude. Or is it altitude? It is an altitude • J att1tuae ... " A good number of hang gliding oldtimers accepted the invitation to the Festival's 25 anniversary. One group that seemed to be a fixture at the functions consisted of Jeff Campbell, David Stanfield, Jack Schroeder, Bob Keeler, and various wives. These guys were having fun, which has always been a notable thing about hang glider pilots. They like to have fun. Bob van Wagner flew into town in his home-built LanceAir. He does not fly hang gliders any more, but I noticed him touring the area in the airplane a few times. Other old-timers at the 25th anniversary included Bill Bennett, Reggie Jones, Al Godman, Jim Lincoln, Jim Guest and J.R. Nershi. This year's award ceremony hosted the debut of Tom Tatum's latest hang gliding film covering last year's speed gliding contest. Everyone enjoyed the 40-minute film by the man who has made more hang gliding films of Telluride flying that anyone. A 20-minute cut will be seen on TV. Tom's first hang gliding film, Double High, is a classic film of the first aerobatics or freestyle hang gliding contest anywhere in the world, which was held in 1981. The pilots in the contest were Dan Racanelli, Pat Maggard, Roy Haggard,

Greg Duhon, Dave Gibson, Rob Kells, Ron Young, Bill Floyd and Larry Tudor. This film is well worth buying if you can find it. It is expertly narrated by David Stanfield, one of the early pilots who went on to an illustrious career in sports announcing. It is a wonderful trip back in time. Dave Kilbourne, who made the first soaring flight in a Rogallo hang glider, flew to town in his Long Eze. Dave showed us a film of his early days of demonstration flying and launching off untried mountains with his friends. Dave credited Bill Bennett with having the best glider to copy. Bill and Dave became a demonstration team touring the country and creating great memories that they still tell about today. Dave's film and narration were a big hit at the awards ceremony. Bill Bennett also gave a talk and told many stories throughout the week. One person who was very much missed at the festival is the greatest and most enthusiastic hang gliding photographer of all time, Leroy Grannis. Leroy could give a slide show that would document the history of the sport in the U.S., and it might last for hours. If you are reading this Leroy, how about contributing a photo essay to Hang Gliding magazine on the early history of hang gliding? Looking back on the 25 years of the Telluride Hang Gliding Festival I would observe that it is like life. It is all attitude. Or is it altitude? It is an altitude attitude which means, simply, a true flyer's attitude. And the best example of the proper altitude attitude is John Coyne. John does not check the long-range forecast before he goes to Telluride. He just goes. He goes every year. In fact, John has attended every Festival since the first one in 1973! If that is not enough of a record, he has flown his hang glider at every Telluride Hang Gliding Festival since the first one. And that is not easy to do when it takes you as long to set up your glider as it takes John. By the time he mounts his vario, his video camcorder, his other vario, his radio, oxygen, GPS, still camera, veg-o-matic, thermal snooper and snack food, it can overdevelop and start to rain. He will sit under his wing through rain showers waiting for that launch cycle. And it always comes for John, eventually, because he has a good attitude. An altitude attitude. • 49

Ill Accident Reports ATribute To Mike Wall by Elize Wi-nby Wall

28, 1998 Michael Wall, my fiance , and his Lwo sons Dust)', 2 1, and Brad, 19, headed up Mission Ridge to celebrate the achievement of one of Mike's dreams - caking die Guys flying tanJem . Preparation for chis day began last summer when we pmchased a big ol' used Dre;i m 220. Tn rhe fall , Mike attended a tandem clinic. We repl:icecl the side and front flying wires, and bought a bigger parachute an<l another harness. In November Mike completed an instrucror clinic and was looking forward co doing hi~apprenticeship wh ile the boys took lessons ac Mission Soaring Center. The boys ha<l several good training-hill sessiom l>efore we llew co Wallaby Ranch, florida in June. Our 10-day family vacation was focused on che boys getting their Hang I ratings and Mike test-flying a few rnplcss gliders in search of his next highperfo rmance purchase. As we drove rhc Suuurbau up tu Mission Ri<lge chac Sunday our spirits were high. Tn actuality, preparation for this day began over 20 years ago when Mike rook his firs t "hang demo" at Little Mountain in Southern California. He was born co lly. It fit hi~ needs anJ ma<le him whole. l le fo und a home in che sport. I didn't meet Mike until years lacer, but l've heard stories ot the old <b ys. ln 1981 Mike became a single parent when the boys were only two and four. The three of them raised each other in those days, spending most of their time rogerher playing in the LZ's at Crestline, Marshall Peak :rnd Little Mountain. in 1994 Mike's work relocated him to Nonhern California. He had just resumed Aying afler an eight-year dry spell when we met each other. Mike immediately inrrod11cc.d me to hang gliding by caking me rn Fore Funston in San Francisco. Big fun! I'd owned and flown an anrique airplane for a:; long as Mike had been flying 50

11 SuJJJ ay, Juue

hang gliders, so ir wasn'r a srrcrch for me LO embrace his love of flying. We easily fell in love, and even more easily the four of us merged ourselves into a happy, nonconventional, free-thinking fumily. It was as if we had been a fami ly all along. Our house filled up with picrurcs and pieces of his early Hying <lay~. Mo<ld airplanes and drawings, telescopes and contraptions fill up the rooms - and pictures ot rhe boys, sequentially showing chem growing older, always with ~haggy and windblown hair, hugging Mike's legs after landing. Mike said the reason I wasn't in any of the old photos of the kids growing up was because I was taking che pictures. Tloved rh:n. He :ilso had photos of his bcsr friend, Kenny \X'estfall, whom he ha<l lost couch wirh. He spun rales for me of the days when he an<l Kenny spem all their free time and money living Lhe life of air-gypsies. Mike had recently seen

Kenny's name in Hang Gliding magazine and was eager to find him and reconnect. Moving into the big house and merging 0111· incomes :illowed Mike to better meer his hang gl iding need~. And T me:i n nee<ls - not wanrs. Flying gave him solace. Calm. lt red1arge<l his bam::ries. If you fly and are reading this, you know what I'm speaking of 1ogerhcr we bought a Sensor 610, a new cusrnm harness, two-meter r.idios, CPS, and finally, lasr year, d1c ulrimare hang gliding vehicle, the Suburban Beasr. Our vacations were plan ned arounJ hang; gliding, traveling to Mexico, flying Crestline, Elsinore and Torrey Pines on rhc way. Then another crip co Hull Muuntain , Indian Valley and L·1kevicw, O regon. LasL SepLernber Mike and I visiced Wallaby Ranch where we fell iu Juve wirh Malcolm Jone.s and his wonderful crew. Tt wa~ then th:ir we made plans to bring the boys back with us for their Hang J racings. ln April of this year we travde<l to Mexico again to fly La Mission and a ridge fu rrhe, south on the Pacific side. Beautiful flyi ng. M ike had a successful cross-cOLmcry fl ight down the coasr where we followed hi.s progress by radio and traversed Lhe terraiu to meet up with him.

Dusty, Elize, Mike and Brad at the Salinas Air Show in October ofJ_9_9(; H AN(.; GLIDING

Accident Reports he knew they were falling. I hope that somehow Mike was able to understand that Dusty's fall was broken and chat his son was fine. Beyond everything chat Mike was, he was a father fi rst. For those of you who never mer Mike, µlea.se take my word for ir char you missed meeting one of the finest "ol<l school" pilots around. 1le was active, fit, and very we.II li ked. A true enrhusiasc of the sport, he was known fo r his 11ncanny ability to ferret our thermals and corner the marker on fo ur-µlu~ hour fl ights. His trademark response when cornplimemed on a great flight was, "1 just !?,Ot lucky." He wok great concern for our flying sites, and was

conservative where safety was concerned. Mike was a wonclerfi1 I fumi ly man and a great role model. We would like to thank those in che hang gliding community for their support during this difficult rime. We ask that your fl ighrs rn:ide on October 10 be silendy dedicated to Mike's memory and co Brad's, Dusry's and my recovery. On Lim day, Dusty, Brad and I will be honoring tl1e weddi ng Mike aud I hac.l planntd by conducting a f:·unily ceremony in which ,ve will clr.dicare ourselves to each ocher as mom and sons. Tam pro11ci of the life Mike and I shared and proud to share chis tribute with you. •

Mike and Dusry on .fimc 28, J998 just rnorm:nts before the accident.

We sropped ac Cresdine on the way ancl discovered. that Kenny Westfall was a member of the Crestline Soaring Society. Mike posted a message in hopes that Kenny wouk{ see it and call. \'v'hich brings me hack ro Mike's Jream. On Slmday, June 28, before their first father-son launch, Brad took a picture of Mike and Dusty in harnesses and helmets, arms armmd each ocher, all smi les. Conclitions were good. They hooked in. and after waiting rhrough a few cycles chey made a good launch. Brad had Lime tu Lake une phoro of che launch, and 1 had rime co tell Dan McGuire's wife rhac our Occober 10 weddin?; plans were fallinc in place, when T saw rhe left wing fold up and die glider dive into the steep, rncky terrain below launch. Brad and I were on the sc<::ne in s<::con<ls. Cell phone. Frantic. Cell phone. Dusty's injuries wert: mirac11lo11sly foirly minor. Mike's were not. The helicopter~ came ... Fi nally. News of the accidenc traveled fast through the hang gliding commlmity. The next day we listened to a message on our home machine that began, "My name is Kenny Westfall. I heard about an accidenr and I'm an old frie nci of Mikes ..." Mike never regained consciousness, and died two day.s later of extensive head injuries ac Stanford Medical Center. Srrncrural failure of the side wire and nico firrin g has been investigared. Dusty remembers hearing and seeing the left side wire flying ouc in from of the glider and OCTOBER 1 998

Fatal Failure Of An Improperly Made Cable by Mike Meier) Wills 'W'ing; Inc.

he apparent prohahle c;rnse of the crash thac killed Mike Wall was che failure of a bottom side wire due to slippage of the nico sleeve dm secmes the wire end fitting. This was apparent as soon a.~ the wreckage of rhe glider was inspected, and it was noticed that one end of the wi re had pulled om of the nico sleeve, and the sleev<::, which remained on the wire, would slide freely along the wire. Further inspection of the nico, as well as die nico on the ocher end of the fai led wire and Lht: two nicos on the borrom side wire from the opposite wing, show<::<l that the nicos had most likely been pressed in che "P" slot of a CGMP mu I.ti-slot nico tool. The P slot in the tool is sized for the nexc larger 5/32" nico, and if used on a 1/8" nice will generally under-press the nico by 15 co 20 thousandths of an inch. T he use of nico sleeves is a rimeproven method fo r rerminating cables. When used properly, a nico sleeve will produce a joinc equal in strengrh to the full rated strength of the cable. If a sleeve is under-pressed (i.e., the final pressed dimension of rhe s.leeve is larger than

speci£ed for that applicacion), it is possible fo r rhe cable to slip at a load well below the ultimate mengrh of rhe c1ble. T ht full raced suength of J/8" cable is 1,700 pouuds. Bas<::d on a description of the flight duri ng which chis accident happened, it seems unlikely that the botrom side wire.~ were s11hjecred ro a load much in excess of 300 rn 400 pounds. Par Denevan of Mission Soaring sent me che bottum side wire from rhe other side of the J?,lider involved in the accident. T he appear~nce of the nico sleeves on thac wire were consistent with that of those on the wire d1at failed. T hey were pre.~sed to an impropt:r <limt:nsion, and the presses were not applied in accordanc<:: with d1<:: standard method for pressing 1/8" nico sleeves. l cl id a number of ptJ.1-tests using chis cable and oilier 1/8" c:ihb on wh ich the nico sleeves were pressed improperly in the "P" slot in the tool. The cables failed at loads ranging from 400 to 1,300 pounds. A 1,300-pound cable is probably safe to fl y with. A 400-pound cable is not. When nico sleeves are pressed improperly, the test results show that the strength of che cable is very unreliable. 51

[I Accident Reports Oval Sleeve

End View Unpressed

Side View Unpressed

Wire failures from improperly made cables are very, very rare. An accident like this one is very tragic, and very disturbing, because unlike virtually all other accidents, it is hard to find any way to place responsibility on the pilot. It is not known at this time who made the wire which failed in this incident. (It is unlikely, based on the appearance of the nicos, that the cables were made by any hang glider manufacturer or professional retail shop.) There is the possibility that other defective wires are in the field, which is also disturbing. While concern regarding improperly made wires is therefore very legitimate, it would be incorrect to think that this is the most important concern regarding wires. Most wire failures are the result of improper maintenance of cables, and failure to replace cables which have not been properly maintained. An unfortunate reaction to Mike's death is that some pilots have expressed the opinion that it is better not to replace your cables, because if the ones you have haven't broken so far, at least you know they were made correctly. The problem is, cables are subject to wear, damage, being kinked, and fatigued during normal use, and there have been many incidents of catastrophic failure from damage or fatigue of cables that were far past the normal recommended time of replacement. The history of these incidents shows that this is a far more likely problem than it is to have a cable fail because it was not properly made. Our testing experience also confirms this. In one of our tests, we first bent a cable at the nico to 90 degrees, and then loaded it to the equivalent of a

Measure Pressed Dimension At Arrows

Side View Pressed - 3/32"

Side View Pressed - 1/8"

one-G flight load 100 times (simulating 100 or fewer flights, since it would have to see one G of load at least once in every flight). After this we broke the cable and found that it had lost 44% of its original strength. Still, it is a legitimate concern for pilots as to whether their cables have been made correctly. There are two main sizes of cable used in structural applications on hang gliders - 3/32" (most common), and 1/8" (larger diameter, used on bottom side wires on some high-performance gliders and some tandem gliders). In each case, an oval sleeve of zinc-plated copper is used to secure the cable end. The sleeve as manufactured is "pinched" at the waist, forming two openings large enough to accept the diameter of the cable. When a wire is fabricated, the sleeve is slid onto the cable, the cable is passed through the end fitting, and then inserted back through the other opening in the nico sleeve. The sleeve is then pressed in a specified jaw in the tool, with the sleeve oriented in the jaws so that the direction of the press is so as to squeeze the two wires toward one another. Under the pressure of pressing the sleeve, the copper flows to some degree among the strands of the cable, forming a joint as strong as the cable. On a 3/32" nico, the jaw is almost as wide as the nico is long, and a single press is used which squeezes the full length of the nico except for a very small flare at each end. On a 1/8" nico, the jaw is much narrower than the length of the nico, and three presses are used, evenly spaced. The finished nico then has a small flare on each end, and a two narrow areas

of unpressed sleeve in the middle of the n!CO.

The proper dimension of the pressed nico, in the area where it was pressed by the tool, and measured in the direction of the application of the press, is no greater than .265" for a 3/32" nico, and no greater than .353" for a 1/8" nico. A pilot who wishes to verify that a nico has been properly pressed, can inspect the nico for proper appearance, and use a set of dial calipers to measure the pressed dimension of the nico sleeve. Such an inspection would have revealed the defect in the wires involved in this incident. (In order to measure the nico, any heat shrink or other covering would have to be removed in the area where the measurement was to be made.) The other alternative to verifying that a wire is of adequate strength is to perform a proofload test on it. Such a test could reveal a damaged and weakened cable that a visual inspection and measurement might not. Cable manufacturers recommend that proofloading be done at 60% of the rated strength of the cable. This would be 550 pounds for 3/32" cable and 1,020 pounds for 1/8" cable. Care should be taken that the cable is supported against the test load in the same manner as it is in flight. (The pull should be applied to the tang, or to the bolt, as applicable.) A proof load test to 60% should not damage the cable, and a cable that has passed the proof load test should be safe to fly, within the normal placarded limitations of the glider. There is some indication that in the case of an improperly pressed nico that is subject to slipping, the slippage may not occur all at once. The wires involved in the fatal accident reportedly had been flown on three previous flights, and it is possible that there had been some slippage on those flights. It would therefore be prudent to inspect the cable for evidence of slippage during a proof load test. (The length of cable protruding past the end of the nico sleeve, which should be a minimum of one cable diameter, should not change as a result of the test.) Pilots who have additional questions about cables and cable maintenance should contact their dealer, or the manufacturer of their glider. • HANG GLIDING

Classifieds 11:\1\(, CLIDII\C ADVISORY Used hang gliders should ,1lwavs he disassembled before flying for the first time and inspected carefully for fatigued, bent or dented downtuhes, ruined bushings, bent bolts (especially the he,ut bolt), re-used Nyloc nuts, loose thimbles, frayed or rusted cables, tangs with non-circular holes, and on flex wings, sails badly torn or torn loose from their anchor points front and back on the keel and leading edges. If in doubt, many hang gliding businesses will be happy to give an objective opinion on the condition of equipment you bring them to inspect. Buyers should select equipment that is appropriate for their skill level or rating. New pilots should seek professional instruction from a USHGA CERTIFIED INSTRUCTOR.

FALCON 140- 10 hours $2,000. (510) 521-2566. FALCONS - 140, 170, 195, 225 new and used. WALIABY RANCH (941) 424-0070. FALCON 195 - 60 hours, great shape, black LE, blue trim, complete manuals, spare downrube $1,800. Chuck (919) 929-1578, chuck.mosher@easc.sun.com FALCON 195- Like new $2,300. (510) 521-2566. Blue and gray LE, good condition FALCON 195 $1,450. (603) 889-2110 NH or oliver.b.mcmahon@Imco.com

FLEX WINGS AEROS KPL12 - 1997, great condition, perfect for light pilot $2,800. Call Claire Pagen (814) 383-2569, pagenbks<iillazerlink.com AEROS STEALTH 142 - New, 3 hours, nice colors, flies great $3,900. (303) 674-2451, (970) 493-5339. AIRBORNE - SHARK, BLADE RACE, STING, BUZZ. New and nearly new. Demo daily. THE WALIABY RANCH (941) 424-0070. COMET II 165 - Axis 17, plus equipment $1,000 OBO. (503) 841-9029. DOUBLE SURfACE TANDEM - Moyes X2, good shape $2,500 or trade. brad@hanggliding.com (414) 473-8800 DOUBLE VISIONS & FLY2 - New and used. WALIABY RANCH (941) 424-0070. DREAM 145 LT 347-8995.

EXXTACY - NEW & USED IN STOCK, DEMO DAILY. WALLABY RANCH (941) 424-0070.

FALCONS CLEARANCE SALE - School use, one season. All sizes $1,500-$2,500. (414) 473-8800, brad@hanggliding.com FLY 2 - Tandem gliders, three co choose from, $2,100 and up. (414) 473-8800, brad@hanggliding.com FUSION 424-0070.

Demo daily. WALLABY RANCH (941)

GLIDERS - 35+ for sale, rigid to single surface. Call/email for current list. Wallaby Ranch (941) 4240070 Florida, gliders@wallaby.com HPAT 145, 158 - One each in good condition. Both have new leading edge cloth and recent superpreflight, $1,400 each.(414) 473-8800, brad@hanggliding.com

New, last one made $850. (303)

INVENTORY CLEARANCE SALE- New & used gliders in stock, great prices. falcons, Ulcrasport, Aeros, Laminar. Call for prices. Call Rob (252) 453-3540 or Bruce (252) 441-4124 ext 23. Kitty Hawk Kites, Inc. INVENTORY LIQUIDATION SALE - Moyes 153 Super Xcralight, excellent shape, yellow/blue $1,900. Moyes 149 Super Xcralight, excellent shape, mylar $1,900. Moyes 137 Xcralight, good but small tear on LE $1,400. Please call John Ryan/The Hang Gliding Center at (619) 461-1441. KLASSIC 133 - Excellent condition, 60 hours $2,000. (801) 254-6141. KIASSIC 144 - Good condition $1,500 OBO. Call Larry (7 40) 467-2022 Ohio. KIASSIC 144 - Yellow/white, absolute mint condition, 5 hours use and then stored indoors for 2 years $2,800. Klassic 155, 80 hours, clean $2,100. (414) 473-8800, brad@hanggliding.com LAMINAR 14 ST - Full race with special mylar sail. This glider has the adjustable horizontal tail and is basically brand new. Also included is an additional cover bag. Also included in the sale is a slightly used Dacron 14ST sail that came off another glider which was converted to a mylar race model. The whole package will be sold for $4,800. That's right. Call John at (619) 461-1441. LAMINAR - ST, 14, 13 in stock. WALLABY RANCH (941) 424-0070. MILLENNIUM 0070.

WALIABY RANCH (941) 424-

MOYES CSX4 - Mylar sail, 250 hours, great shape $2,500. (561) 642-2636 mechamplin@flinec.com

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., June 20 for the August 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 D Flex Wings D Emergency Parachutes D Parts & Accessories D Business & Employment D Miscellaneous D Paragliders D Videos Begin with

D Towing D Schools & Dealers D Ultralights D Rigid Wings D Publications & Organizations DWanted D Harnesses

19_ _ issue and run for _ _ _ __

consecutive issue(s). My D check, D money order is enclosed in the amount of$ _ _ _ _ _ __ NAME: _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ __ ADDRESS: _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ __ CITY: _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _STATE: _ _ __ PHONE:_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ __ Number of words: _______ @$.50 =_____ Number of words:

OCTOBER 1998

@$1.00 =_____

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

E~ Classifieds MOYES CSX - SX, XTL, XS3, XT, etc. New and nearl,· new. Available immediately. Nation's largest Moyes dealer. WALLABY RANCH (941) 424-0070.

WWXC 142, 155 - Low hours, clean and nice condition $3,100 each OBO. (414) 473-8800, brad@hanggliding.com

;\10YES SX4 - Grear condition, clean, 50 hours $3,100. (414) 47:3-8800, brad@hanggliding.com

EMERGENCY PARACHUTES

MOYES SX5 - Excellent condirion $2,850 priced to sell. (801) 2'i4-6141. i\10YES XTRAl.ITE 147 S900. Call ((,19) 4C,l-1441.

Good shape, a steal at

MOYES XT PRO 165 - Novice/intermediate double surface, 25 hours, great shape $2,700. (414) 473-8800, bradellhanggliding.com PULSES & VISIONS - Bought-Sold-Traded. Raven Skv Sports (414) 473-8800, brad@hanggliding.com RAMAIR 155 - 1995, good condirion, flies great $1,000 OBO. Z4 harness, Ball M50 Flighrdeck, 24 gore parachute, radios & other assorred great-al! in grear shape, at grear prices' (619) 792-2936. dave@ardellgroup.com SENSOR 51 OC - Good condirion, flies & performs great $'i00. (828) 255-0033 leave message. SENSOR 510 VGB - Excellent condirion $600. Wayne (828) 626-2099 or michael5@brinet.com SPECTRUM 144 - Excellent condirion, faired downtubes. hnsterwalder wheels, speedbar $1,400. (650) 555-6991. SPECTRUM CLEARANCE SALE - Three 165 Spectrum, in near new condition, w/all options $2,400-$.3,200. Raven Sky Sports (414) 473-8800, brad(1lhanggliding.com Sl;PERSPORT 143 - New condition, <10 hours, blue/yellow/white. Flies great bur I can't afford to keep both of my gliders. A steal at $1,950. Larry (781) 631191(, evenings before 10PM eastern or (978) 532-5100 d.1ys, LessardEnv@aol.com SU!'ERSPORT I 53 - Superneat custom sail, very low hours, WW fin included $2,100. (414) 473-8800, brad@1hanggliding.com SUPERSPORT 153 - Excellent condition, folding speedbar. low airtime $1,500. (252) 634-9455. SU!'ERSPORT 163 - Blue leading edge, excellent condition $1,500. Home (816) 587-0823, work (816) .3')1-6200. TRX 160 - Good condition $1,000 OBO, 2 available. 1-888-957-5439.

WANTED DEPLOYMENT BAGS - New, and new 20ft bridles, $25ea. (303) 347-8995. ROCKET RESERVES-Two, used LARA and BRS $475ea. (303) 347-8995.

VISION MKIV 19 - Built 5/98, never flown $3,200. (501) 851-4094 sailwingspg@hotmail.com VISIONS & PULSES - Bought-Sold-Traded. Raven Sky Sports (414) 473-8800, brad@hanggliding.com

OLD HANG GLIDERS WANTED - For display only. Sails must be in good condition. Will pay $100$150. Contact Bruce Weaver 1-800-334-4777 or (919) 441-2426.

USED 20&22' - 100% guaranteed, inspected, new bag and bridle $250ea. (303) 347-8995.

SCHOOLS & DEALERS

AI.ABAMA 20 GORE - 20ft PDA, brand new $390, 1 only. (303) 347-8995. 22 GORE PDA - w/swivel $420. 20 gore $199. Many more available. Raven Sky Sports (414) 4738800, brad@hanggliding.com HARNESSES DELTA WING POD - Chute, good condition $150. (505) 824-0550 evenings.

HARNESS EXCHANGE

LOOKOUT MOUNTAIN FLIGHT PARK ad under Georgia.

See

ROCKET CITY AIRSPORTS - The fun, safe place to learn to fly. We help you learn quickly and safely with USHGA certified professional instructors. Great place for first cross country flights. Three great sites and a Moyes-Bailey aerorug for those "other" days. Learn to aerotow and earn your AT raring. Mention this ad, bring a friend and receive one lesson 1/2 price. Call (256) 880-8512 or (256) 776-9995. ARIZONA ADVENTURE SPORTS TOURS - Lessons nearby Phoenix/Tucson areas. Man-made trainer hill faces all wind directions. Guaranteed ten flights per day! Tempe, AZ (602) 897-7121.

NEW, USED - And REFURBISHED harnesses. Buy, sell, trade, consignment. Gunnison Gliders, 1549 County Road 17, Gunnison CO 81230. (970) 641-9315. HIGH ENERGY POD HARNESSES - Sizes & styles change monthly, $300-400. CG lOOO's $250. Cocoons $200 each. LMFP pod, 5'9" $400. Kneehangers & stirrups also available. (414) 473-8800, brad@hanggliding.com RIGID WINGS MONERA! S MAX - Sailplane, 33:1 glide, helicopter AS], TE audio vario, speed ring, radio, 167 hours TT, 2 Silver badges, 13 meter span, enclosed alum trailer, solar charger $5,000 (pilot license required, not for beginners). (603) 889-2110 NH or oliver.b.mcmahon@lmco.com ULTRALIGHTS

ULTRAS!'ORT 147, 166 - Rental gliders at flight park, low hours, clean, priced to sell. (414) 473-8800, brad@hanggliding.com

LITE TRIKE - 15hp Yamaha KT-100 engine, composite prop, welded Crmoly frame, 70 lbs., attaches to HG, very good condition $1,845. (603) 889-2110 NH or oliver.b.mcmahon@Imco.com

BAILEY-MOYES DRAGONFLY - 1994, great condition, extra parts, fully equipped and ready to row $18,000. Call Rob at (252) 453-3540 or Bruce at (252) 441-4124 ext 23. Kitty Hawk Kites, Inc.

FULL SERVICE SHOP - Sales, rentals, towing, repairs, guide service. Free brochure. (520) 632-4114, http://www.northlink.com/-ahgc CALIFORNIA DREAM WEAVER HANG GLIDING - Sales, service , instruction. Area's most INEXPENSIVE prices. Ideal training hill, new and used equipment. Dealer for Wills Wing, Altair, High Energy Sports and more. Tandem instruction. USHGA Advanced instructor Doug Prather. (209) 556-0469 Modesto CA. FLY AWAY HANG GLIDING/PARAGLIDING Santa Barbara. Tammy Burcar (805) 692-9908.

NO MOUNTAINS - Or row parks? No problemself launch with the Slip rrike and soar! Liberated Flight (941) 745-1297.

HANG GLIDING

Classifieds ~~ THE HANG GLIDING CENTER - Located in beautiful San Diego. Hang gliding and paragliding instruction, sales and service, conducted at TORREY PINES and local mountains. Spend your winter vacation flying with us. Demo our line of gliders and equipment at the always convenient and world famous TORREY PINES. We proudly offer !CARO (LAMINAR ST), MOYES (SX), WILLS WING (XC) and all kinds of stuff. Makers of the DROGUE CHUTE. 2181 Charles Way, El Cajon CA 92020, (619) 4611441. HIGH ADVENTURE - Hang gliding, paragliding school. Equipment sales, service, rentals at Southern California's mile high site, Crestline. USHGA Instructor Rob McKenzie. By appointment year round. (909) 883-8488, www.eee.org/bus/high_adventure

f!r!Q~R~PlNJt WALLABY 2800 Torrey Pines Scenic Drive San Diego CA 92037 Since 1928

HANG GLIDING AND PARAGLIDING USHGA certified instruction, tandem flight instruction, sales, service, repairs, parachute repacks, and site tours. San Diego's world class soaring center. Visa and Mastercard accepted. Call (619) 452-9858 or check us out at http://www.flytorrey.com

RANCH FLORIDA

The Aerotow Flight Park Satisfaction Guaranteed JUST 8 MILES FROM DISNEY WORLD

31401 Riverside Dr. 1

·~ Lake Elsinore, CA

17:t h~i

92530

l~)J?

1 ~ {jU ~ LAKE ELSINORE SPORTS 909-674-2453

WINDSPORTS - LA's largest since 1974. Fifteen minutes from LAX. Central to Sylmar, Crestline, Elsinore and training sites. Vacation training, flying and glider sales packages including lodging and rentals. The most popular gliders and equipment, new and used in stock. Trade in your old equipment. 325 sunny days each year. Come fly with us! 16145 Victory Blvd., Van Nuys CA 91406. (818) 988-0111, Fax (818) 988-1862. COLORADO

fU!.I. SERVICE SHOP - Located on Hwy 74 at the base of the Santa Ana mountain range. Proudly representing ALL major brands. Rentals available to qualified pilots. Open 6 days a week 9am-5pm, closed on Mondays. Visa/Mastercard/American Express.

AIRTIME ABOVE HANG GLIDING - Full-time lessons, sales, service. Colorado's most experienced! Wills Wing, Moyes Altair, High Energy, Ball, learn and more. (303) 674-2451, Evergreen, Colorado AirtimeHG@aol.com

MAGIC AIR - Located in Northern California. Lessons, sales, service. (707) 963-3455.

CONNECTICUT

• YEAR ROUND SOARING • OPEN 7 DAYS A WEEK • FOUR TUGS, NO WAITING • EVERY DIRECTION 50+ NICE demos to fly: Topless to Trainer Gliders: Laminar, Moyes, Wills, Airborne, Airwave, Exxtacy, Millennium Superfloater and more; also harnesses, varios, etc. Ages 13 To 73 have learned to fly here. No one comes close to our level of experience and success with tandem aerotow instruction. A GREAT SCENE FOR FAMILY AND FRIENDS ...

MOUNTAIN WINGS- Look under New York. FLORIDA

Our comprehensive instruction program, located at the San Francisco Bay Area's premier training site, features gently sloped "bunny hills," superlite gliders and comfortable training harnesses! "FIRST FLIGHT," a video presentation of our beginner lesson program, is available for only $20 including shipping (may be applied to your future lesson purchases). Our deluxe retail shop showcases the latest in hang gliding innovations. We stock new and used Wills, Airwave and Moyes gliders, PI.US all rhe hottest new harnesses. Trade-ins are welcome. Take a flight on our amazing new VIRTUAL REALITY hang gliding flight simulator! 1116 Wrigley Way, Milpitas (near San Jose) CA 95035. (408) 2621055, fax (408) 262-1388, MSCHG@aol.com www.hang-gliding.com

Be sure to check out USHGXs web page: www.ushga.org OCTOBER 1998

10 motels & restaurants within 5 mins., camping, hot showers, shade trees, sales, storage, eatings, XC retrievals, great weather, climbing wall, trampoline, DSS TV, ping pong, bungee swing, picnic tables, swimming pool, etc. Flights of over 167 miles and more than 7 hours. Articles in Hang Gliding, Kitplanes, Skywings, Cross Country and others. Featured on numerous TV shows, including ESPN2. Visit us on the Web: http://www.wallaby.com Please call us for references and video. 1805 Dean Still Road, Disney Area, FL 33837 (941) 424-0070- phone & fax Conservative • Reliable • State of the Art

USHGA CERTIFIED TANDEM INSTRUCTION - By Gregg McNamee. Aerotow training & ratings. Dealer for all major flight and aerotow equipment, 1.5 hours from Disneyworld. Call (352) 245-8263. graybird@praxis.net http://www.gypzi.com/ graybird

F.H.G. INC/FLYING FLORIDA SINCE 1974

LOOKOUT MOUNTAIN FLIGHT PARK- See ad under Georgia. Nearest mountain training center to Orlando (only 8 hours).

Have a photo placed with your ad for only $25 extra!

Malcolm Jones, Ryan Glover, Carlos Bessa Jeff Schmick, Laurie Croft, Eric Gurr Tom Ramseur, Roger Sherrod

I cf I /0 RJGJ-n.=

J'vlichd Wlande1: Mike

Vo,I,is. The {)i1Jinf' M,. n. 11nd Peter Lindquist.

Denise Lindquist tlt home on the bead, ,,t Funston.

Continued.from pate 45.

"""'"""!(,

L,hing DmU, Lindqui« h« b,m an mj,yabl,, ttnd sometimes humorous experience. Moving gradually from "the wingjlying her" (in tt rather large array ofartistic waJ,s), to "her flying the wing, "> Mlly proved that anyone who puts his mind to it r.an lem·n to fly - gender, stature, and in some ettses personality type, aside. Starting with minimal confidence, "high anxiety, "a lot ofchattering teeth. and explanations ofwhat had just happened rolling offher tongue 11t 6. 000 words per minute, Denise eventually realized that the tlider was 11 ·mindless flying machine, and that she was thf lm1infused into it that would have to tettch it how to fly "correctly. " Soon the crowd was cheering, the loose shoelaces had JO feet of ground dectrana·, and the air tasted more like... air. It was a fluid afier ,df. not 11 solid! Mouth/ids ofsand w,-re a thing ofthe past at this point, and Denise quickly began to shed ail reluctance and was looking toward tlit? 700-foot hill! Denise now demonstrates the courage, judgment, and.fundamental ski/Lr ofa fledgling pilot, and promises to he a true artist of }light in the very near t,·rm. 0

- Ahn Kenny (Denise's Hang l lnsLructor, USHGA Adv;incd Tn~rructor, Tandem l, Fremont, California)

\ - ----,~, J.

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JP: Which female pif.ots in the sport have had the greatest impact on you and why?

paraglider

Airspeed Ind icator using Bracket. Small Ilall ................ $23.50

Paragilder Brac.kel ..... $6.50

Now nvnilnhle: Smnl l Hnll for hnng gliders, 010 70 mph

Hall Brothers P.O. Rox 10 10 -H, Morg~11, UT 84050, USA

Mastercard I VISA I C.0.D Phone (80 I) 829 3232 Fax (801) 829-6349

would geLvery quiet. I coul<l always cell chat the desire co fly was still very strong in his hean. So I <leci<le<l to <lo something :ibout it. A few yea rs ago, Tsr;irred saving up some money to get him back into flying. I had been going through some severe health problems and I really appreciated how well he rook care of me during that difficuh time. l put away a fow dollars here and there, and sold a few chings char I no longer needed. When I had enough ro get him a decent used wing, l dug ouc one or his old Hang Gliding mag:izines to get his USHGA number, called them up and renewed h is memhership. When ir c:ime in the mail, I waite<l uncll he goc home from work and sat h im down. 1 told him Lhat l knew how much he missed flying, and asked if he would like to fly again. He said yes. I d1en presented him with the money for the wing and his new USl lGA card. The look on his face was ahsolmely priceless. Twil l never forget that <lay. Bue chat was only d1e beginning. l still remember his first flight ouc at Fu nscon afccr over 10 years of being away. He had spent some time on che bunny hill and in Pat Denevan's L1unch and Landing Clinic. (I am hawy chat he cook che time to do these things. I Ie has always impressed me with his concern for safery.) We went ouc on a beaucifol fall a.tternoon, and afrcr a bir of nervou.~ waiting, he launched. 1 gol chills up an<l <lown my spine seeing him in rhc air again. '1'he magic of wacd1ing Lhe man I love soar so freely is something that I cannot describe. When he landed and unhooked, he walked up to me and gave me the most incredibly passionate kiss. WOW! With in a year, l decided that l wanted to try flying myself

DL: Personally, Samancha Jo Moore Im; had :i big impact on my flying. I mec Sam via rhe HG lisc, and when we moved co Mill Valley, it turned out that she lived just a few blocks away from us. She was one of the first female pilots that I ever met, ancl watch ing her fly gave me inspiration. She is really good! HANG G UUIN<,;

Demse r.111dq11ist

umdem towing with Malcolm /ones at

Vv'a/!11b;1 Ranch.

Knowing rhal she was on rhc Women's World 'leam, am.l thar she had done so well, gave me rhc courage ro try co be as goo<l as she is. I also appreciate Lhe support of aJI Lhe women on the HG lisc. Gt:tLing words of encouragement and su_pporr from other Female pilol~ via e-mail has been great. Thanks lat.lies!

JP: !fynu to1;/.d 7,i11e one piece ofadvice to women who w,mt to be pilots, what would it be? DL: Take your rime. Le:1rn at your pace, an<l <lon'c Ice anyone push you beyond your comforr/s:ifety level. Women and men lc:irn :,r a different pace, and in diffcrenr ways. l:le sure lhal you are comforrnhle with your instructor and that you can communicate clearly wirh him or her. I guess I am unusual, hut T wenr awuu<l talking rn as m:iny instructors as I possibly could hefore I settled willt my current ceache.rs. 1 inrerviewt:d them on their re:iching and communicarion srylei:. Unfortunately for me, money was a major comi<leracion, so ir rook a lircle more time and patience ro get started Lhau I really wanted, hur I was happy to be a driver unril rhen. 1 rook aJva11tage of having all of these pilots captive in rhc car :ind pumped chem for as much information as I coul<l. I will learn any w;iy I can.

JP: I r.,w't let you go without asking ifymt wnttfd share with uJ· your favorite poem about hang gliding? DL: Wdl, I don'c know if you can prim my favori te poem, hccause it is a bit coo racy. <grin> l do have one Lhat i:, not aho11t hang p,liding, l,ut is more abour what the spiJic of flight is ro me. Thi~ poem was wriuen before I even sr:irted my lesson~. I wrote it after hiking up Mr. Tam. I was rcmrning to my car, by "13" launch, and I heard a red-tailed hawk ~cream. I looke<l up to see a young hawk thcrmal ing dirccrly above my head! This poem flowed out a fow hours later.

OcrOBER 1998

Conversation With a Red-Tailed H,zwk I hear him crying, on winds from above. Corne join me my friend, tis sweet, tis like love. l wish I could, my lord on high, But you ate the rnascer, of rhe winds and rhe sky. The rime is noc right, I have nor rhe ~kill, To unleash this poor body, from chis Jowly hill. So l will warch you rise, spiraling LU heaven. Another time, anorher place, we will meet again. One of my ravorite hang gliding poems is one thaL I wrote before my first tandem flight. I was so cxci red about flying lhat rhis poem popped imo my head.

V(linds ofPass;on, Anticipation ofMy First Flight A breeze on my cheek, a gentle caress, A r:isre of things co come, Thjs excire.~ me beyond compare. I stand at the edge, waiting for you. 'fake me to new heigh rs of joy and passion. Lips trembling, eyes glazed wirh fire,

T look forward to our joining, my firsr rime wirh you. Ready now, I run inco your arms, and you lift me up. Ler us share rh is moment. This <lance, chis magic in the air. Oh glorious wind, emhr:ice me! Twish co lc:arn more of you, To rasce this sweel joy of flighc.

JP: Thank you TJenise. Your interview was an honest one and one that will not be fargnt-ten. Your poom h11ve added new dimension to my pcmption ofche ait; and your words are a breath of hnnesty th11t we 1dl need ftom time tn timl'. I realize 1h111 Peter is a lucky man to have you tJJ his life parme1; l1J will bf thf birds that soar the coastal thermals that you will share. • 57

E~ Classifieds NO MORE BUNNY...

MICHIGAN

THE HILL WITH IT!

WE HA VE - The most advanced training program known to hang gliding, teaching you in half the time it takes on the training-BUNNY HILL, and with more in-flight air time. YES, WE CAN TEACH YOU FASTER AND SAFER. For year-round training fun in the sun, call or write Miami Hang Gliding (305) 2858978. 2550 S Bayshore Drive, Coconut Grove, Florida

BUNKHOUSE WARM & COMFORTABLE-32 bunks, hot showers, open all year, 24 hour self registration. 1-800-8037788! HAWAII

33153.

BIRDS IN PARADISE - Hang gliding & ultralight flying on Kauai. Certified tandem instruction. (808) 822-5309 or (808) 639-1067, birdip@aloha.net www.birdsinparadise.com

CLOUD 9 SPORT AVIATION - Aerotow specialists. Tandem hang gliding and ultralight aerorow instruction with the reliable rurbo tug Dragonfly. Dealer for Wills Wing, High Energy Sports, Flyrec and many other major brands. Aerorow equipment and launch cart kits available. Our new CLOUD 9 FLIGHT PARK and loft clubhouse provide convenience, comfort and facilities for you and your family. 11088 Coon Lake Road West, Webberville MI 48892. Contact us for fall hours. (248) 887-4516. Cloud9SA@aol.com

TANDEM

HANG GLIDING

ILLINOIS HANG GLIDING SERVICES - Aerocowing thru Prairie Soaring at Leland Airport, 1 hour west of Chicago. Tandem instruction. Airport (815) 495-2821, home (815) 741-2250.

QUEST AIR SOARING CENTER- Your vacation hang gliding location. (352) 429-0213, fax (352) 4294846. Visit our website at: www.questairforce.com or email us: questair@sundial.net

RAVEN SKY SPORTS - (312) 360-0700 or (414) 473-8800. 2 hours from Chicago, 90 minutes from Elgin, Palatine or Libertyville. The best instructors, the best equipment, the best results in the midwest. Training program for combined/integrated foot launch and aerotow certification. Apply 100% of your intro lesson costs to certification program upgrade! Please see our ad under WISCONSIN.

NORM LESNOW'S FLYING ADVENTURES Since 1978. Experience & safety are #1. Presenting the turbo dragonfly. Introductory flights and full range of lesson programs for beginner to advanced. Aerotow clinics & USHGA appropriate ratings available. USHGA certified school. Please contact Norm Lesnow-Master Pilot, Examiner, Advanced Tandem Instructor, Tow Administrator. (248) 399-9433, FULL-TIME school. www.SeriousSports.com, nlfa@juno.com

RAVEN SKY SPORTS - (414) 473-8800. Please see our ad under Wisconsin. brad@hanggliding.com

TRAVERSE CITY HANG GLIDERS/PARAGLIDERS - FULL-TIME shop. Certified instruction, foot launch and tow. Sales, service, accessories for ALL major brands. VISAfMASTERCARD. Come soar our 450' dunes! 1509 E 8th, Traverse City MI 49684. Offering powered paragliding lessons & dealer for new & used units, including the Whisper and the Fly. Call Bill at (616) 922-2844. Visit our paragliding school in Jackson, Wyoming. Call Tracie at (307) 739-8620.

KANSAS

MINNESOTA

PRAIRIE HANG GLIDERS - Full service school & dealer. Great tandem instruction, towing & XC packages. (316) 375-2995, kenny@pld.com

RAVEN SKY SPORTS - (612) 340-1800 or (414) 473-8800. Please see our ad under WISCONSIN.

GEORGIA INDIANA

NEVADA MEXICO Lookout Mtn. GA/TN 1-800-803-7788 FULL HOOK-UPS - Laundry, propane, recreation room. 1-800-803-7788. LOOKOUT MOUNTAIN FLIGHT PARK - See our display ad. Discover why FOUR TIMES as many pilots earn their wings at Lookout than at any other school! We wrote USHGA's Official Training Manual. Our specialty-customer satisfaction and fun with the BEST FACILITIES, largest inventory, camping, swimming, volleyball, more! For a flying trip, intro flight or lesson packages, Lookout Mountain, just outside Chattanooga, your COMPLETE training/service center. Info? (800) 688-LMFP.

iii MEXICO !!! HANG GLIDING

PARAGLIDING

BEAUTIFUL VALLE DE BRAVO - Open to all, rent or bring hg/pg. Basic packages: $100/day hg, $69/day pg. 1-800-861-7198, jeff@flymexico.com www.flymexico.com

ADVENTURE SPORTS - Sierra soaring tours and tandem our specialty. Hang gliding/paragliding USHGA certified instruction. Sales and full service shop for Altair, Airwave, Moyes, US Aeros, Wills Wing. 3650-22 Research Way, Carson City, NV 89706 (702) 883-7070 phone/fax, email: advspts@pyramid.net web site: htrp://www.pyramid.net/advspts NEW JERSEY MOUNTAIN WINGS -

Look under New York.

Your ad is read by more than 10,000 hang gliding enthusiasts. Advertise with us today. HANG GLIDING

Classifieds NEW MEXICO MOUNTAIN WEST HANG GLIDING ~armington's only full service school and Wills Wing dealer. Offering tow and tandem flights. (505) 632-8443.

LOOKOUT MOUNTAIN FLIGHT PARK ad under Georgia.

NORTH CAROLINA

KITTY HAWK KITES Flight Park

UP OVER NEW MEXICO - Instruction, sales, service. Sandia Mounrain guides. Wills, Airwave. Albuquerque, NM (505) 821-8544.

ELLENVILLE FLIGHT PARK - Sales, service, USHCA certified instrucrion. Dealer for AIRBORNE, LA MOUETTE TOPLESS, APCO, UK DISCOVERY, instruments, accessories. 80 Hang Glider Road, Ellenville NY 12428. Call Tony Covelli or Jane, phone/fax (914) 647-1008. FLY HIGH HANG GLIDING, INC. - Serving S. New York, Connecticut, Jersey areas (Ellenville Men.) Area's EXCLUSIVE Wills Wing dealer/specialist. Also all other major brands, accessories. Certified school/instruction. Teaching since 1979. Area's most INEXPENSIVE prices. Excellent secondary instrucrion ... if you've finished a program and wish to continue. fly the mountain! ATOL towing! Tandem flights! Contact Paul Voight, 5163 Searsville Rd, Pine Bush, NY 12566, (914) 744-3317. SUSQUEHANNA FLIGHT PARK - Cooperstown, NY. Certified Instruction, Sales and Service for all major manufacrurers. 40 acre park, 5 training hills, jeep rides, bunk house, camping, hot showers, 600' NW ridge. We have the best facilities in N. New York state to teach you how to fly. c/o Dan Guido, Box 293 Shoemaker Rd, Mohawk NY 13407, (315) 866-6153,

FAX your classified ad, membership renewal or

See

TEXAS AUSTIN AIR SPORTS INC. - Certified foor launch, tow & tandem training. Sales/service, Steve & Fred Burns WINDEMERE (830) 693-5805. HOUSTON (281) 471-1488. GO ... HANG GLIDING!!! - Jeff Hunr, 4811 Red River St., Austin Texas 78751. Ph/fax (512) 467-2529 jeff@flytexas.com

NEW YORK AAA FLIGHT SCHOOL - MOUNTAIN WINGS, INC.-22 years experience, full time/year round. Full service shop, 4 training areas and a 4,500' tow field. Winch and aero rowing, tandems and rwo-place training. We sell: Millennium, Exxtacy, Airwave, Altair, Moyes. Aeros, Flightstar, trikes. Woody Valley harnesses in stock. Save $$$-ask us about flying the mountain ,lt a discount. We do ir all and we won't be undersold. (914) 647-.3377 WWW.FLIGHTSCHOOL.NET, email MTNWINGS@AOL.COM or visit us at 150 Canal Street, Ellenville NY 12428.

HILL COUNTRY PARAGLIDING INC - Learn complete pilot skills. Personalized USHGA certified training, ridge soaring, foot & tow launching in central Texas. MOTORIZED PARAGLIDING INSTRUCTION & EQUIPMENT AVAILABLE. (915) 3791185. Rt l, Box 16F, Tow TX 78672. • TANDEM INSTRUCTION • AEROTOWING • BOAT TOWING • PARAGLIDING • FOOT LAUNCH • MOUNTAIN CLINICS • OPEN YEAR ROUND • BEACH RESORT • EQUIPMENT SALES AND SERVICE

(800) 334-4777 NAGS HFAD, NC Internet Address: http://www.kittyhawk.com E-Mail Address: hang-glide@outer-banks.com LUMBER RIVER HANG GLIDING - USHGA certified instruction, winch towing, authorized Wills Wing dealer. Lumberton, NC (910) 618-9700. PENNSYLVANIA AEROTOWING PHILADELPHIA DRAGONFLIERS! - Tandem, foot launch & paragliding instruction! (610) 527-1687. MOUNTAIN TOP RECREATION - Certified instruction, Pittsburgh. (412) 697-4477. C'MON OUT AND PLAY! MOUNTAIN WINGS -

KITE ENTERPRISES - Foor launch, platform launch and aerotow instruction too. Training, sales, rentals and repair. Airwave & Wills Wing. Dallas, fort Worth and north Texas area. 211 Ellis, Allen TX 75002. (972) 390-9090 nights, weekends, www.kire-enterprises.com TOTAL AIR SPORTS - Area's OLDEST Wills Wing dealer. Certified instruction available. "I only DEAL with WILLS". 6354 Limestone, Houston TX 77092. (713) 956-6147. UTAH UTAH'S ONLY FULL SERVICE - Paragliding and hang gliding shop and school. We offer AM and PM lessons seven days a week. We are dealers for all manufacrurers. Great new and used equipmen r. We teach at the famous "Point of the Mountain." Free camping right where you learn. Great discount bargain lodging or luxury accommodations. Guide services, mountain tours, site information. Affordable classes. For a free information package, call toll free 1-888-944-5433, email HBC3@aol.com, fax (801) 576-6482, 12655 S Minuteman Dr., Draper UT 84020.

Look under New York.

PUERTO RICO FLY PUERTO RICO - Team Spirit Hang Gliding, HG classes daily, tandem instruction available. Wills Wmg dealer, Glider rentals for qualified pilots. PO Box 978, Punta Santiago, Puerto Rico 007 41. (787) 850-0508.

WASATCH WINGS - FULL TIME USHGA CERTIFIED HG INSTRUCTION at Point of the Mountain and regional mountain sites. Dealer for Aeros, Wills Wings, Moyes, Airwave and much more. Call Zac (80 I) 576-0142, wings@wasatch.com, www.wasatch.com/-wings VIRGINIA

TENNESSEE

merchandise order:

(719) 632-6417. We gladly accept VISA and MasterCard. OCTOBER 1998

BLUE SKY - High quality instruction, equipment sales, sewing, towing supplies, Glider Savers. Call Steve Wendt, (540) 432-6557, cell (540) 480-3438. HAWK AIRSPORTS INC - P.O, Box 9056, Knoxville, TN 37940-0056, (423) 212-4994. Hang Gliding and world famous Windsoks.

KITTY HAWK KITES -

See North Carolina.

E~ Classifieds ~IIYER \VINCS, l~C. - Certified instruction and equipment s.1b. (703) 533-1965 Arlington VA. WISCONSIN RAVEN SKY SPORTS HANG GLIDING AND PARAGLIDING - The midwest's Premier aerotow flight park, founded in 1992. Featuring INTEGRATED INSTRUCTION of foot-launch and aerotow tandem skills. at package prices to beat any in the USA. Seven beautift1I, grassy training hills facing all wind directions. four Dragonfly tow planes, no waiting! Three tandem gliders on wheeled undercarriages. WW Falcons for training from the very first lessons. USUA ultralight and tug instruction. Paragliding tows. Free camping.

Sales/service/accessories for all brands. Open 7 days a week. Comact Brad Kushner, PO Box IOI, Whitewater WI 'i3l90 (414) 473-8800 phone, (414) 473-8801 fax, ww,v.hanggliding.com, brad@hanggliding.com

-.,

KENTUCKIANA SOARINC

G~IDIRBAGI GUNNISON GLIDERS

HEAVYDUTY, WATERPROOF PVC - Full #10 zipper, $107 ppd. XC-Camo or white. #5 zipper $65 ppd. Gunnison Gliders, 1549 County Road 17, Gunnison CO 81230. (970) 641-9315.

PARTS & ACCESSORIES AEROTOWING ACCESSORIES - See TOWING. THE WALLABY RANCH (941) 424-0070.

FINGERSWITCH RADIO HEADSET - By Flight Connections. HEAVY-DUTY w/finger mounted switch, communicate with hands on control bar or brakes. Safer flying and more reliable communications. 90 day mfg warranty, w/repair service available beyond warranty. Available for Yaesu, lcom, Alinco, Kenwood & other compatible radios. Full face or open helmets. $89 +$3.50 shipping, MC/Visa, dealer inquires invited. Kentuckiana Soaring, 425 N Taggart Ave., Clarksville IN 47129. (812) 288-711 I, fax (812) 284-4115. SPECIALIZING IN COMMUNICATIONS. KENTUCKIANASOARING Communications Specialist! Best Prices & Best Service! Customer Satisfaction Guaranteed!

HIGH PERSPECTIVE WHEELS - Real life savers! 12", light, tough. Fits all gliders. Send $41.95 + $4.50 shipping per pair ro Sport Aviation, PO Box IO I, Mingoville PA 16856. Ask about our dealer prices.

VARIOS: FLIGHT DECKS NEW BALL GRAPHICS PLUS ...................... $CALL BALL Ml9 ....................................................... $375.00 FLYTEC .......................................................... $CALL

KENTUCKIANASOARING

RADIOS-ALL MODELS AVAILABLE SPECIAL-ICOM T2A 2 meter Plus ready-to-go, rx/rx 136-174 ................................... $250. YAESU FT! IR ....................... 5 wan ............. $305.00 KENWOOD TH22 ................ 5 watt .................. $289 F/C Fingerswitch/Headset ........ Heavy-Duty ...... $89.00 5/8 TELESCOPIC ANTENNA ....................... $20.95 5/8 GAIN DUCKANTENNA ......................... $17.95 Yaesu Mobile ........................... 50 watt ........... $305.00 TUNE UP w/Warranty Intact .$35-50.00

BEST 12" WHEELS AVAILABLE - Super rough, lighrweight, a must for training, tandem flying. Built-in bushings. Only USA-built 12" wheel. $42.95, quantity discounts. Immediate delivery. Lookout Mountain, (800) 688-LMFP.

~. t''

n #

l,r

------

-~-:~-::__:::..;__ '·i~i~., \

;,:'_,."_-~·_:-_, .. ,

BRAND NEW AIRMIC - $65. By NAS (the one that works.) Not for Kenwood. Talk and hear thru ear, PTT switch. (303) 347-8995. GIFTS & TROPHIES- Unique, unusual & creative hang gliding related gifts and trophies. Free catalog! Soaring Dreams, 11716 Fairview, Boise Idaho 83713. (208) 376-7914.

ARMADILLO GLIDER BAGS - UV protection & more! Custom made heavy-duty polypropylene w/full length zipper $125 (plus $10 s/h.) XC bag also $125. EXCLUSIVELY through Kentuckiana Soaring, 425 N Taggart Ave., Clarksville IN 47129. (812) 288-7111, fax (812) 284-4115. MC/Visa. Include nose & rail width, length, widest with.

You can now advertise on our Web page. E-mail us for details: ushga@ushga.org.

PARACHUTES WILLS WING LARA .............. w/Paraswivel .... $CALL HIGH ENERGY QUANTUM ....................... $CALL MISCELLANEOUS ARMADILLO Gliderbag ... Regular & XC ...... $125.00 WIND ADVISORY AIRSPEED W/Clamp ..... $23.00 HALL PG AIRSPEED ............. Clearance .......... $25.00 HOOK KNIFE ................................................. $14.95 KENTUCKIANASOARING 425 N Taggart Avenue Clarksville IN 47129 (812) 288-7111 fax (812) 284-4115

Sell your unused equipment here. HANG GLIDING

Classifieds \[,\~·( \[)OJ\. DES ICNS • 1 lang &liding aLL'-''""i"'· 11/\R MITTS: EXPLORE R- 11 0 111"1' pnd«sr $./o/i. '.\AYf(;i\TOR 11rpn m~p pocket $54, COMPETTJ'Oll-c ircul:H map cuH $64. GLIDER BAGS: HEAVY-D Un': 600 de nier polyester, wace, & UV protcc!ion, lf lOzipper. reinforced en<k rnpe:re:d de.sign, co111i11uou, loop handles, red or blue $108. C ROSS· C:OUN rn.Y: :! JO den ier nylon. mong yet lightweight, ,5 zipper. L,tpeml. ml or blue $94. RADIO POUCHES: Vlny l wi11duw. ~a(t:ly strn p , ;1< IJ11sr.°' to fir most radios. vl'lrrc,·~ nn ro shoulder SLr:lp, red or blue $) 7. HARNESS BAGS-roomy, strong. adjustable. comfort· .1bk , w:1isr heir. red or blue $49. MASTA DON DESIGNS. rlox (>65 5, 5. Lake Ta hoe C.A 96l57. (·; jO) ·;,·, i :IX'i.\ . kmjd7(!!,1thegrid.nct. Prices include shipping & ha ndling.

TFJ< Fl ICHT PRODUCTS

JJII

A .

mounts

.,,

remote 1

WAKTEI) - Ccn if'i eJ lta11g gli di ng 111scrucror. L,11nbe1 Rivr:r Hm,g (-;Jidi ng. I ttmberto11, f\.'C (910) 6 1~·Y700.

WANTED -

[ Iang Glidiug/Pa rnr,l iding insrrncrors.

fmn, eJ iHt e 111 11 rim e openi ngs available. Live the Ca li forn ia d rcam .. . insm ,c r srudenrs ac t he Sm Francisco Bay area's premier rr.1 ining sicc. Setvi...:t: ~hop

employmem is also available. Ask For Pai f>e nevan (408) 262· 1055. MSCl-fG@aol.com

www.hang-gliding.com

6" & 8" h.d. wheels Camera moum $48.50. c~ mera remote (as k about rehare) $45. Vario moun t $ 15. 6" wheels $29.75, S&H included. TEK FLIGHT Prnducts, Colebrook Stage, W insted CT 06098. O, t:.111 (860) 3n 1668. Email: tek@s11<.'t. 11c1 or nm page:

PUilLICATIONS & O RGAN!ZATlONS CALL USH(.;1\ - For a maga:.oine back issue ordc, torm. From the eady Ground Sl?immer ro rhe presenr llanx Gliding. (71 9) 632·8300.

http://mem bers.tripod.com/ • rckfligh r/indcx.html

MIN I YAR10 - World's smallest, sim plest va1 io! C lip, co helmet 01 d 1in,t1ap. 200 l1011rs on h,m ~ries, 018.000 (1.. rt·, pnnsl' md 'l year warranty. Gre-.ir for p ar:1glirlin g coo. ONLY $1 69. Mallettec, PO Box 157 'i(J. SaJl{a Ana C'.A , 92 7)5. (714) 966- 1240, MC/ Vis., J,ccpccd, www.111allct1c(.:.C0fll

fa,,

OXYGEN SYSTEMS

S/H). Send co USHGA Windsok. P.O. Box B30. Colorado Springs, CO 80901-J:330, (71 9) 632·8300, fux (7 L9) 632-64 17, 11shga(n>11shga.org VISA/ MC au;cpted. Check our web sire www.ushga.org

XCR ·; ;' 0 Cross CtJw11rv Racer

DO N 'T UET CAUG HT LAN DI NG DOWNWIND! - 1.5 oz. ri pstop nylon. UY t.reatcd , 5'/i" long w/ I J" tl1roa1. Ava ib ble co lors fluorescen t pinlJyellnw o r fluorescenr pink/white. S39.95 (+$4.75

13AC IT! - If you d o n't have your copy oF Dennis l'agcn's PERFORMANC E foLYIN G yott , avai lab le rh rough US11GA llenJ,1uar1crs $29.95 ( , $5.50 s&h fo r UPS/Prinriry M~1 I rl el ivery). US H<.;A, 1'0 Box I 330, Colorado Springs CO 8090 J. t-800-6 I 6-6888 www.ushga.org SOARI N(; Mon t hl )' magazine of l'hc Soaring Society of America, Inc. Covers all aspects of soarini; llighc. Full membership $55. Info. kic with sa111ple copy $3. SSJ\, P.O. Dox E. Hubhs, NM 88241. (505) :in1177.

BUSINESS & EMPLOYMENT TOWING

Arizona hang gl id ing business. Year round lessons/sales serving Phoenix/Tucson. All wi11d di rections ma11-made trainer bill on ren ac:re_s, p lus acL<'SS w rnownain sites, gianr shop & srock. l:'irsr 35K or best offer. (602) 897-71 21 FOR SA.LE -

Systems since 1985

f'he world-das. XCR- 180 "!""""" up ro 3 homs liil l 8.000 Ii. ~nd w<'1gh.s on ly 4lb. Complete kit with

t)·li ndcr. harness, regulator, cannula and rcmocc on/off tlowmctcr. only '.1375.00.

SMAI.I. H F.I.M F.TS - Dealer overstock on small/xs k<:'v lar rull face helmets. 25% oft! Raven Sky Spores (414) 473 -8800. brad@l1angglidi11g.Lo1J1

Our advertising has a two-month lead time plan ahead. OCTOBER 1998

MAKE $30,000 A YEAR-T.,,,J,ing lrnng gli<ling and paiagli<ling. Yon cm cln ir Wllh Kiccy Hawk Kites! The la rgesr hang gliding school on the pfanctl We'll train you and help you bLtild the skills for al] your racings through tandem. No mtings n<'Cessary to ~tart. Join our tea.in. fa,'{ resumes to Rn ,ce: Weaver at (919) 441-7597 or 1ua.i.l to Kircy Hawk Kites, PO Box 1839, Nags Head NC27959.

Be sure to check out

USHGXs web page: www.ushga.org

AEROTOWJNG ACCESSORIES - Hcadquarrm for: Jlie 11ncst releases, secondary releases, Spectra "V" bridles, weak links, mndcm wheels, laund, c.:a n kirs, r.rc. T ll.E WALLABY RANCH (9 /o I} lo24 -0070. CLOUD 9 S PORT AVJATION - H ~ng gliding equipment and aerowwing accessories. Launch can.s $500, pa11ia l kils $350. (2 1i 8) 887-45 16 Clo11cl9SA(ii>aol.con1

TBT TO\XI RlG - On uaile, l,"J liir !tang g lide r, mod ifit:d lu r parnglicler (srep row) wirh guillorine, 3000' spectra line. Home (816) 587-0823, work (8 16) 391-6200. ULTRAU N E In stoc:k, ready ro ship. 3/16"x3000' $105. 3/16"x4000' - S l45 sh ipping included. Cajun Hang G lid ing Club, l 10 Kent C ircle, Lafayette LA 70508. (3 18) 981-8.372.

~~ Classifieds VIDEOS & FILMS

MISCELLi.\NEOUS

8300. Fax (719) 632-(,4 17 or c m.iii: ushga@ushga.org your cla.ssified wi rh you r Vis3 or Masterc3rd. ASK US ABO UT ADVERTISI NG ON OUR W EB l'AGF..

\Y/\Y/\Y/.USHGA.ORC

INDEX TO ADVERTISERS Advemurc:: Produc.:ciuns ...................... 38 Altair .. .. .. ...... .... ............ ........ .... ........... 8

Angle of Attack ..... ....... .... .... .... ...... ... 15

CREE\! POl NT FLYERS -

NEW FRO:v1 EAST

COAST VIDEO! Wayue\ bt:st viJev tv Jate. Slivt .,long rhe .100 m il~ I .al«• M1ch1gan cm.<r . frnm eight J iffc:rc:nt ~it<.·~. L.ighrwavc 31) animati<>ns and so me g re.H n1orphi ng that you have t<> sec. S 1 n1inutc~ of' l1a11g, gl idi11g. [ldl;1t',lidi11g.. 111uw1 i:u:d pa raglid i11g, Lug & <;un, c

to w i ng. 1l 1o ton1..ed n1osqu1to

$\vifc. and

"'A.ER0£1AT TCS" - f'u ll color 23"x 31" posrer fearur· ing John Heiney do ing what he docs best-LOOPING!

Arai Design ................ ....... ........... .. .....6

Av~ ib ble through USHGA HQ for just $6.95 (+$3.50 lJSHGA Aerobacics Posrer, PO Box 1300, Colorado Spl'ings CO 80933. (USA & Ca nada only. Sony, p osters arc NOT AVA 1L<\.13 LE on intc rMtion,u ocdcrs.) SP.ECTAL-Aero b:11 ics pos1er & Eric Ray111011d pos1 cr· BOT H 1:-01{ $10 (+$3.50 s/h).

Brauni~er ....................... ....... ............ 18

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ST. PAUL, MINN. I very rarely refer to something already published in HG mag, but this time I feel driven to make an exception. The subject is accidents, a topic eruditely addressed (as always) by Mike Meier in the September issue. ••• Before getting to his essay, I first read what I viewed to be a disturbing set of statistics: 10 .1% of respondees to USHGA' s survey (of 1,169 members) reported an injury accident. Two-thirds of these involved hang glider pilots and more than half the time medical or professional treatment was needed; one-sixth required overnight hospitalization. Good heavens! Odds of one in twenty needing a doctor in the next year are not encouraging. Over half appear to be at launch or landing. ••• Combine those sobering facts with Meier's compelling message about pilot decision making as the primary determinant of safety. We'll need to work hard if we are to alter the scenario. And, paragliding may be worse! ••• In the July 1998 issue of their combined magazine, Skywings, the British HG/PG association (BHPA) published their own accident investigation. Their overall figures were much lower at 2.2% of members injured, however, that broke down further to only 1. 6% for their 2,188 Hang members. Balancing the scale was a significant 4. 5% of their 4,276 Para members. As disturbing as the American figures, was a high degree of moderate or major injury resulting for 69% of Hang pilot injuries and 58% of Para injuries. ••• Look, very few people like to read this type of information, but when the stats are this glaring, they need consideration ... PLEASE fly safely! ••• Turning to cheerier news, but drawing f ram the same USHGA survey, you could read for yourself the mix of glider brand market share enjoyed by various manufacturers. The numbers are self-explanatory, but I think I might add a little perspective that mere recitation of the facts won't bring. Market leader Wills Wing has been on an upward track, gradually but steadily taking an ever-increasing share of the American market. The new survey showed them at a 1990s high of about 47%, no surprise to anyone, right? Maybe ... but I say it ' s got to be higher, maybe a lot higher. Pacific Airwave is long gone, yet they claimed 25%!? That can't last and next year or the year beyond, WW will be branded on 60% or more of all gliders sold in America, I'd guess. • Another sleeper is the consistent growth of Moyes, now up to over 12% of the U.S. market. Certainly, new Moyes America director Ken Brown deserves some of the credit for this, but the pattern has been long forming. They've grown steadily since I started following closely in the early '90s when they had a modest 3% of the market. • Seedwings remained small but steady at 3% of the U.S. OCTOBER 1998

output. Exxtacy, Millennium, or other rigid wings didn't show up on the radar at all, nor did Predator, Laminar, Extreme, or Topless, further showing how these statistics lag behind current events. ••• In fact, rigid wing expert Dave Sharp (who claims he's really a· mild-mannered family man, not a "hot shot") compiled a few stats of his own. He states, "With the exception of the Nationals, the [D-cell rigid wing] Hybrids have won every major meet this summer." He lists the ACC and Millennium, Sandia and Exxtacy, the U.S. Nats title and an Exxtacy, Region 2 Regionals and a Millennium, the Chelan XC meet and an Exxtacy, plus the Wild West and a Millennium. I don't know the validity of the survey and I 'd say it doesn' t matter much. This new wave of wings is more pervasive than anything in years. Even topless flex wings don't look quite as new in their shadow. • Since Dave also referred to the wave of rigid wings as "Stiffies, 11 I guess it shows we still don't know what we want to call these aircraft. "Rigid wings" doesn't sound as accurate as we once thought. Oh well, such heavy issues are better decided over beers or sodas in the LZ. ••• But all this is hang gliding. The other world we inhabit is paragliding. And that carries us to yet another survey. The "combined issue" of Hang Gliding in July had a survey form in the centerfold. As of late August, nearly 700 had arrived with a reported 8-10 more included in every day's mail. •Did you like it? The early answer: 15 said they were NOT satisfied, but 406 (64%) stated that they were "highly or medium highly satisfied." The bigger question is, "Do you think it is time to combine our flying activities in to one magazine?" Out of 655 responses, 17 didn't answer, 454 "voted" to combine, 183 "voted" not to combine. That breaks down to 71% FOR and 29% AGAJ:NST the idea (discounting "No Answer" replies). Voters included 62% Hang pilots, 26% Para pilots, and 12% Both pilots. • Executive Director Phil Bachman, in okaying the early release of figures said, "Be sure to point out that this input is only one of the several factors that must be brought into the equation before the Board of Directors can make a decision to combine or not combine." He cited examples of cost analysis, advertiser's schedule and related cost effects, subscription revenues, and other details. • Obviously, it's too early to tell much, but the topic is less contentious than I thought it might be. Cheers to tolerance! ••• Stories ahead include more tow parks, a book review, Mexican wintertime flying, and the East Coast "Turbulent Talent Triangle." ••• So, got news or opinions? Send 'em to: 8 Dorset, St. Paul MN 55118. Vmail or fax to (new area code!) 651-4500930 or eMail to CumulusMan@aol.com. THANKS!

CH RI s AR A I

U.S

NATIONAL

CHAMPION

AGAIN.

CHRIS ARAI IS THE U.$. NATIONAL CHAMPION IN THE FLEX WING CLASS FOR TH E SECOND YEAR IN A ROW, ANO THE FOURTH TIME IN THE LAST FIVE YEARS.

(,994 - W 1LLS W1NG RAMAIR, 1995 - WILLS WING XC, 1997 - W1LLS W1NG Fus10N AND 1998

W 1us W 1NG Fus10N)

As A RESULT, CHRIS BECOM ES THE Fl RST PILOT IN HISTORY TO EARN LJ.S. NATIONAL CI-IAM PIONSHI P TITLES IN FOUR SEPARATE YEARS. W E AT W l l l S WING WOULD LIKE TO CONGRATULATE CHRIS ON HIS AMAZING ACHIEVEMENT, AND SAY THAT WE ARE PROUD TO HAVE BEEN A PART OF IT. OF COURS E NATIONAL CHAMPIONSHIPS ARE NOTH ING NEW TO W ILLS WING PILOTS. IN THE 26 YEAR HISTORY OF THE U.S. NATIO NALS1 FORTY-SEVEN NATIONAL CHAMPIONSHIP TITLES HAVE BEEN AWARDED IN VARIOUS CLASSES. TH I RTEEN DI FFERENT MANUFACTURERS HAVE WON AT LEAST ONE. THREE MANUFACTURERS HAVE WON THREE, AND TWO OTHERS HAVE WON FOUR.

W ILLS WING HAS WON TWENTY-ONE. IN EACH OF THE SIX YEARS FROM 1992 THROUGH 1997 THE U.S. NATIONAL CHAMPION IN THE FLEX WING CLASS WAS FLYI NG A WILLS WING GLIDER. AND IN 1998, THE GLI DER FLOWN BY TH E LJ.$. NATIONAL CHAMPION WAS? A W ILLS WING. AGAIN.

~ Q u A L IIY

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500 WEST DLUERIOGE /\ VE. 0 RA~GE. CA 92865l. PH 714.998.6359 · FX 114.998 064 7 · WWW. WI ii.SWiNG COM