USHGA Hang Gliding February 2000 by US Hang Gliding & Paragliding Association

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(If he'd paid what our competition charges~ his wife ·would.have killed n,rn,i,

At U.. Aeros, we might "Fun At Affordable appear on And don't forget- we're giying away one of our faxnous custo:m. ,!,J.1.1.N'<"'""" harnesses with each . Ste~lth solp in. cJanua;ry ain.d February. 1

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*Don't be. fooled by ''basio ~lider p!!ioe 11 adve~tiaing. Coxripar~ the delivered. ~options inolu<i,~ct" p~1oes. · (Some rnanllfiu:it:ure:vs nave ypu pay. $300 jllf!t so you oa,ri piok your aolors)

(US PS 01 7-970-20 -

ISSN 0895-433X)

16 The LMFP SkyCycle by Mrttt McLefkmd Getti ng into the ajr from level ground will, only an cxrra 95 pounds.

22 Atlantic Coast Championships -A Primer by G'. W Meadows A fun meet with a high-tech glide-ratio concesr.

35 A New Perspective On Hang Glider Turns by Steve Seibel An inrcresring look at fli ght dynamics.

38 Hawaiian Flyin' by Brett Snellgrove A guide ro soaring in rhc Sandwich Isles.

Columns

Departments

President's Corner, by David Glover ... 13

Ajrmail ... ... ........... ........ ............ ..............4

USHGA Director Listing ....................23

Updatc ................ ..................................10

USHGA Reports, by Dennis Pagen ....29

Calendar of Events .............................. . 14

Incident Reports, by Bi.II Bryden .........50

Classified Advertising .......................... 52

Hawker & Vario, by Harry Martin .... .45

Aero Club Listing ..................... ...........62

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

L1dex to Advertisers .................. .. .........62

Srolen Wings & Things ...... ..... ............62

FEBRUARY 2000

Gil Dodgen, Dave Pounds, Art John Heimiy, Gerry Charlebois, Leroy Grannis, Vaughn, !lo!> towe Photogmphcn Harry Marlin 1 1//ustrator Dennis Pagen, Mark Stucky, Rodger Hoyt, Meadows, Jim Palmieri, llilJ llryden Slaff Writers

Coloradci Springs, CO and ill ,,dditiorwl mailing

POSTMASTER: SEND CHANGE OF ADDRESS HANG GLIDING, P.O. BOX 1'.BO, Colorado CO il0901-13'.JO. FrnRUAl<Y 2000 VoUJME 30, ISSlJF No. 2

Air Mail IT AIN'T .HEAVEN, WALLABY

FIRST

Dear Editor, There is no other sport that has given me more pleasure than hang gliding. · rhe camaraderie, the experiences and the pleasures l receive from the sport are the best. 'fhis past Christmas holiday vacation I spent at the Wallaby Ranch wirh my beloved wife Maggie and my Airborne Shark 14/i. Many have expressed the opinion tha1· the "flight park" is the future of hang gliding. If this is true, then W,illaby Ranch has to be Nirvana. Where else can one hang glide with pilots from virtually every continent from Novice to Master level (including World Team members) and fly as equals? Life is so easy at the Wallaby Ranch. One docs not have to leave the premises to cat. Jeremie, the on .. site cook, prepares gonrrnet meals for all who fly. The New Year's eve feast, bonfire and professionally produced fireworks display was augmented by a dance band. The party continued until almost sunrise. New Year's day was a booming flying day. l counted over 37 tents set up on New Year's day and many more pilots were staying in on-site cabins and trailers. At one point more than 30 gliders were set up preparing to launch and the five ultralight tugs had everyone in the air within 30 minutes. This was very impressive and absolutely a world-class perforrnance by the Ranch personnel. Maggie and I would like to thank Malcolm Jones, Laurie Croft, "Tiki," Ryan Glover and the mg pilots (Rhett, Roger, Curt, Carlos, Kerry and Tcmi) for their complete dcdica1ion to pilot fi.m. 'Thanks for dropping us off in all those great thermals. You even made me look like a Sky God (oops, I mean a Sky Dog).

Dear Editor, l n May of 1999 I wanted ro order a custom Wills glider all lettered up in good ol' USA red, white and blue colors. During the process I found that given the schedule from Wills, my glider would end up being one of the last custom Falcons produced in the 20th centu-ry, so f decided rn name my boat-around toy the "Millennium Falcon." T had 110 idea ar the time thar this glider would become the first in the U.S. to become airborne in the new century, even if I tried! Knowing hang glider pilots as J do, or at least most of the ones I've bumped into in the short rime I've been flying, T felt fairly confident that many of my airloving friends would be less than enthusiastic about get:ting up at the crack of dawn, setting up a glider in the freezing cold, and running off a hill at first light, especially after a night of rabblerousing on New Year's eve. Funny, it seems my premonition was correct; it was a lonely scene at 5:30 AM at Morningside Flight Park in New Hampshire. We managed a last-minute reservation at Mt. Ascumey Reson in Vermont, a short 10-mile drive from Morningside, only a couple weeks before the Y2K celebrations. Rooms were scarce but we found one luckily. T and rny trusty side-kick Mark Vaughn, with a legion of cam .. eras in tow, awoke at about 5:00 AM on January 1 and made the trek to Morningside in my ncw-bur--battle-worn Jeepmobilc, stopping at Dunkin's en route for that ever-important "jump start." Upon arrival (basically still nighttime, and not a soul to be found) Jeff Nicolay, owner of Morningside, was kind enough to make rhe hangar available and open for egressing the Millennium Falcon for its historic flight. Mark Vaughn was busy setting up his camera gear while l played assistant to the master, then we pulled out the cart,

Jim (Sky Dog) and Maggie Palmieri Roanoke, VA

NEW

MILLENNIUM

HANC CLIDINC

A Look cit tJ1c Sport of Hcmg Cil1cJinq lr1c W1ncJ and Wr1y 11 Works r:1iqr1t Sl<1lls to Hie Llcgirmer level /liqr11 Skills to rhe Novice level Hyinc~ ConcJ:tiom Gl1cJir1g [qu1pmcm More at)oul cric flinciplcs of lligr1t Prcparinq for AllicucJc ll1gh1 C:iNtinq S1ar1ccJ 111 Soarinq I-mcJcrn cmcJ row Ir o,rnnn Thinqs r>ifot Shoufcj l<now C:il1cJ1ng rcrrm 1J1c fJro r l1E";"

Plu.s

USHGA, PO Box l 330, Colorado Springs, CO 8090 I 1-800-6 J 6-6888 fax (7 J 9) 632-6417 www.ushga.org

Wing Tips

Air Mail drove the glider to the top of Morningside, and awaited the first sun· rise of the new century. Enough light streamed through the overcast morning for Mark to get pictures, so l saddled up, got on launch and went for it, using my Jeep headlights in the LZ in case it was still a bit too dark. And there it was, the first official flight of the new millennium, flown in a glider justly narned, filmed by one of the best, and shortly followed up by the country's flrst soaring flight by Mr. Scott Leonard! Where was I when it was soarable? Back in bed!

in Oregon and California and that is way too high for the average hang glider pi I01. I think if you gathered statistics on the income of the average new pilot or wannabe, you would see thar $90 per day is much to high. l bad an intro airplane lesson for $40 and the instructor probably barely paid for the gas, but he wants to recruit new pilots. I believe that if instruction prices were lowered more people would enter rhe sport and instructors, suppliers and clubs would actually make more money because of the increased nmnber of pilot consumers. Even glider prices could go down with an increase in marker size.

Rob Jacobs Manchester, NH

Jesse Boyd Bend, Oregon

MAG AND

COMMENTS

Dear Editor, I recently read in this magazine that many USHGA Directors believe in pro· moting the sport. l am a I-fang I and trying to sponge as much information as l can about the sport to accelerate my learning. The magazine did a great job for several months with articles on launching and landing, complete with excellent writing and diagrams, but the last few mags have been very light on learning skills and mostly a promotion of your advertisers, which is fine as long as you don't forget about people who are entering the sport:, who are more inter-ested in getting their feet off the ground than in they are in high-performance and experimenral gliders. I think every issue should have an article abom some aspect of learning and flying skills. Your glider reviews are great but should be limited ro one per issue. Manufacturers can purchase ad space if' they need more. The great articles I remember where written by Pat Denevan and illustrated by Greg Shaw. I think something needs ro be said abom the price of lessons as well. Ninety dollars per d,1y seems to be the going rate

GREAT PHOTOS Dear Editor, Fantastic cover shot (December HG)! Steve (Rathbun), please share with us how you mounted the camera! Most people have no idea how much effort goes into get1ing shots like this. Beautiful work. Then there is Aaron Swepston. When people ask, "Who took that shot?" and you tell them it's ;icmally glider-mounted (dangling by thin wires under the glider) using a wide angle lens, and they still don'r believe yon, then you know you've accomplished what you set out to do capturing our sport in its purest form. That is what it's all abom. While your buddies have all launched and flown for 40 minutes you arc still fiddling around with all your camera gear. I hope l speak for most of our members when I say, "Thanks for taking the time and putting out the effort to produce these beautifol photos!" I would welcome discussion on camera mounting and triggering techniques. Rcto Schaer] i Sacramento, CA

by Rodger Hoyt

he best X-C clays often are the unstable ones with an abundance of big, fin cumuli. But beware; sometimes those benign harbingers oflifr get greedy, fattening into malevolent monsters spewing hail, sleet and rain! Desert climes are notorious for this. A couple of garbage bags the big 33-gallon type make excellent imprompru rain ponchos, not only for you, but also for your harness, helmet and those expensive instruments. They weigh virtually nothing and fold completely flat, taking up minimal harness storage space until time for use. othing is as distracting as extraneous chatter on your flying radio. Listening to rhe mundane conversations of myriad ground-bound businesses can hring your soaring spirit down in a hurry. Most two-meter radios, however, have a built-in solution, yet it's amazing how few pilots utilize this feature call "Tone Squelch." With tone squelch activated, your radio will only receive transmissions from other radios sharing the subaudib!e tone, regardless of how much other traffic is on the same frequency. (Just make sure not to interfere with others' corn·· munications.) Consult your radio owner's manual on tone squelch activation, then get your flying group to agree on a common tone frequency. It's almost like having a private channel!

Have a hot tip? Send it to "Wing Tips" clo Hang Gliding may_azine or e-mr1i! rbhoyt@go.com. HANC CLIDINC

• Carry in your pocket. Instant accurate readings. • Measure wind or air speed to 95 MPH. • Wind speed, max and average modes. Knots, MPH, KPH, FPM, MIS and Beaufort scales. • Rugged construction, protective slip case. • Large clear digital display. ©ml~ ll!BB.1110 • Waterproof, floats. lall ~ -B(!)l'>•i11Bl•B22d • User-replaceable impeller & battery. • ·1-year warranty.

I Hang Glider Pilots Important Reasons to Request Yours Today! No Annual Fee Low Fixed lntroductorv Annual

Percrntage Rate (APR) on cash advance checks and balance transfers $I million Common Carrier Travel Accident Insurance with the Platinum Plus Carri''' Credit line increase decisions in 30 minutes or less 21-llom Cnstomcr satisfaction

l'lea.,v Mention l'rioril)' CodeJLWO Wben Colling

Choose between the t:nited States Ilang Gliding Association Platinum Plus"' Vis:r' or the Preferred Visa Each time you make a purchase with your l!SllGA Visa, you arc helping lo support USIIGA's efforts in preserving our fiying silcs

1998 Women's World Ch,ampicm

r just soar the local dunes with a couple of mates, there's a Moyes glider for every occasion.

Become part of the Moyes familyFly a Moyes

Update NEW PHONE NUMBER FOR USHGA PRESIDENT

SHGA President David Glover has a new phone number. He may be contac ted at (94 1) 424-0048 .

first-class treatment of pilots, famil ies and crews, bur also because of the awesome organizatio nal skills exhibited by last year's fabulous Meer Director, J.C. Brown. For more information you can call us at (863) 424-0070 or e-mail us at fly@wallaby.com.

WILLS WING 27TH ANNIVERSARY DEMO DAYS AND FLY-IN AT WALLABY RANCH - MARCH 20-26

W WALLABY OPEN 2000

hey're doing it again folks. The Annual Wallaby Open, once again, promises to be the premier cross-country competition of th e season. Yep, Wallaby Ranch will be the place to be April l 6-22 for the Wallaby Open 2000. Hang gliding's best will gather this spring in Florida to compete in chis unrivaled, world-class cross-country competition, with a cash purse of $5,000. Malcolm Jones and his crackerjack Wallaby Ranch crew will see to your every need and offer some true southern "Ranch"-style comforr. Once again, their fullrime resident gourmet chef will tantalize pilots, families and crew with some awesome meals for breakfast and dinner. Also, rhe Ranch is a comfortable place for visiting pilots, £wiiJies and crew. It encompasses over 200 acres with private trails for hiking, biking or running, and offers camping, a swimming pool, jacuzzi, u-ampoline, climbing wall, clubhouse, ping pong, satellite television and picnic tables, all in a park-like serring, with lots of relaxing bench swings under cool shade trees. Wallaby is the first and largest fulltime aerocow park in the world, with six rugs, a full-rime staff of 10, and rhey offer training year-round, seven days a week. In addition, the Wallaby Rancl1 offers the World Team Academy, advanced cross-counny training with world-class pilots. Founders Mark "Gibbo" G ibson and Mike Barber spearhead the adventure, along with U.S. World Team pilots Ryan Glover and Paris W illiams and two-time world record-holder Tiki Mashy, to school veteran pilots in the more advanced aspects of hang gli&ng. Wirh the tremendous success and popularity oflasr year's meet, all rhe "cop dogs" will be in attendance, not onJy because of Wallaby's

ills Wing, in conjunction with Malcolm Jones and the staff at Wallaby will be holding their third annual spring demo days and fly-in, March 20-26 at Wallaby Ranch near Odando, Florida. ff you've been to either of the two previous events you already know why you'll wam to come back. If you haven 't joined us yet, come on our! It's an opportunity to try our all of our laresr gliders, get your aerocow sign-off, or just relax and have fun in rhe one place most conducive to having fun in hang gliding that we know of. We'll also be hosting a 27th anniversary parry, and seminars on glider tuning and maintenance, parachute deploymem, repacking and maintenance as well as ocher copies of imeresr. Come join us!

GLIDEWG

ric Muss-Barnes announces che launch of his Glide log ar hrtp: //www.glidelog.com, an Internet-based flight log which can save, score and compure averages for hang glider flights. H e designed the site and did most of the programming. And the best pare is that the site is free co use! The program can compute yom average flight time, altitude and more, and displays statistics of all rhe averages fo r every pilot in the database. The more pilots who use the site rhe more interesting and informative it will become. You can aJso keep a journal of each flight and print our your individual flight information.

TWO GREAT MEETS AT SANDIA The 2000 U S. Nationals - July 1-9 he Sand ia Classic has become wo rld renowned as a great world-class meet. The evem was founded in 1991 by Mike Gregg and Mark Mocha, and the comest has taken place every year since 1991 with the exception of 1999. Mike and Mark utilized local support and cmned the Classic into a

great means of pcomoting our sport though the media. This year promises co be a big year for aviation in AJbuquerque, and this year's Classic will include a visit from Governor Gary Johnson and a National G uard fly-by. The Classic allows for 65 pilots who gath er at the base of the world's longest tram of its rype. A large Mac truck with custom racks hauls gliders to the top, while pilots and crew cake daily tram rides co the summit of th e 4,000' vertical moLmtain . Once on top you can see for 150 miles in every direction. Right next to launch is the High Finance restaurant, and there are plenry oflounge chairs on the deck perched over the cliff to rest on while getting used to the high altitude of 10,378' MSL. The High Finance also makes some of the best green chili and grilled chicken bmgers around. The dynamic shape of the Sandias produces some of the strongest thermals the western U.S. has to offer. Altho ugh the city of AJbuquerque can reach temperatures in the upper 90's in mid-summer, pilots should dress as if they were going skiing on a cold day. Pilots will often reach altitudes above 17,000' MSL and fly up to 30 miles without turning. Oxygen is highly recommended and refills will be available. Thermals can get quite rough at Sandia, however, on the east side of the Sandias the air can be just as strong bur with less turbulence. This year, Classic organizers will use multiple start gates located on the front and back side, more curnpoints and closer goals. A GPS and GAP scoring system will be used, which should allow pilots more opportuniry to leave if the midday air gets coo rough. Rigid wing p ilots are strongly enco uraged to attend chis year's evem. Qualifications include a Hang N rating, X-C, restricted landing field, turbulence, and windy cliff launch signoffs. The Ramada Inn East will be headquarters. Rooms are $50 pet night and chis includes a free brealcfasr. There are many non-flying attractio ns including the New Mexico Museum of N atural History chat shows daily IMAX films, a virtual ride simulator, and an arr museum. If you like moumain-bike riding ny the slalom course trail along the Rio Grande below the giant cotto nwood trees. Don't forget abom the SSA and USH GA convenrio ns in mid-March. For more information conract Mike Gregg at mgjbgregg@aol.com, l-800-776-5973, or Mark Macho at mmocho@rt66.com. H ANG GLIDING

Upd The Sandia Open 2.3-29 his year the Sandia Soaring Association will be hosting the Sandia Open which will include seven days of open-discance X-C flying. The SSA wants to promote a relaxed type of contest that will allow pilots to achieve their personal bests or break a world record. Two hundred-mile-plus flights arc possible. Pilots will be scored from their best four flights out of seven. 'J'his will allow pilots to pick and choose conditions without losing their score. There will be first-, second- and third-place prize in three categories (kingposted, topless and rigid) and a longest-flight award. The Sandia Open will allow Hang TlJ pilots to compete with an instructor's recommendation (Crest launch only). The entry fee will be $100 bcfi>re June, $12 5 after. The meet will include Sandia guides, 02 refills, an X-C seminar from number-one-ranked pilot Dave Sharp, and daily prizes. For a nominal fee some X-C retrieval and transportation will be provided on a first-come, fi rst-servc basis.

Planned non-flying activities such as hiking, mountain bike riding, parties, and free camping will be available on a limited basis. Pilots may want to lodge on the cast side of rhe San-dias in Moriarty w save time in the event of long retrieves. I ,odging prices range from to $4 5 a night. This is a non-profir event. All proceeds will go t:o securing the Sandia LZ. For more information contact Mel Gbnrz ar (505) 296-5362, mglantz@uswcst.11ct, or David Sharp, flysharp 1@aol.com, # 13 Sagebrush Ct., Edgewood, NM 87015.

2000 STEEPLE

cstern Hang Gliders and the Coastal Condors arc pleased to announce the resurrection of the Monterey Bay Steeple Chase, May 5-7. Come to the beach ready t:o fly. Practice srans Friday with races on Saturday and Sunday. Bring all your wind roys. There will be radio-controlled flying wings ro start the day followed by paragliding, and last but nor least the hang gliding races. Events include a flying--wing obstacle course, trick-flying displays, paragliding races, hang gliding spodanding competitions, and highest and lowest flights. Pilots of all skill levels arc welcome amateur to pro and everyone in between. With so any different events it will be great fun for the whole family. There are hotels and camping facilities within walking distance, and there is the Osprey Deli for coffee, espresso and sandwiches. J,ook for more infri as things develops. The cntty fee is $50. We arc looking for sponsors. Contact: Western} Jang Cliders, (831) 38/i-2622, fax (831) 384-2624, Wcstcrnhangglidcrs@aol.com, www.wcstcrnlianggliders.com.

offer the same sales, service and instruction as it has for rhe past 10 years. Contact: Adventure Sports, Box 200G6, Carson City, NV 8972 I (775) 883-7070, http://homc.pyramid.net/advspts.

MOUNTAIN

NEWS

ountain Wings of Ellenville, New York will be hosting the first in a series of Mosquito clinics at the Ellenville Airport from April 28-.30. Special guest and Mosquito importer and expert Bill Fifer will he on hand to demo Mosquitoes on either the Saturn, Target or Falcon. The clinic will cover how to safely fly, care for and repair the Mosquito, pointers on how to thermal more efficiently, rips on how to mount the Mosquito to your glider, how to adjust your harness ro make it more comfortable, and how to modify landing gear to make it stronger in the event of a lessthan-perfect landing. The clinic costs$ I 00 (refundable with a Mosquito purchase) and will include a barbecue and free landing gear upgrade for rhose who already own a Mosquito. A $25 deposit is required. Black, (914) Contact: mrnwings@aol.com.

arc the results of recent flying the beach at the Lake Elsinore, CalifcJrnia city park. The 1999 Masters of Freestyle Hang Gliding Contest was a great success! High winds canceled the flying on Saturday, bin Sunday dawned calm, clear and warm. Pilots were aerotowed to 2,500 feet. 'T'herc were nine competitors, although two could not complete the contest, leaving seven pilots to fly all four rounds.

ADVENTURE SPORTS MOVES

J\ dventurc Sports of Carson City, Nevada .!1,has moved to the Carson City Airport in order to accommodate pilots with more flying at premier flying sites, Sierra tours arc tailored for each individual's present experience and future expectations. Guided flying along with ratings arc some of the advanragcs provided and backed by 25 years of experience, The shop, housed in the same hangar as its Sierra Dragonfly Club's tug, will provide tandems as its specialty in an ideal, convenient location. With flying taking place most eve1y day, pilots and prospective pilots need ro call ahead to schedule flying. Adventure Sports will )()

The results were as follows: 1) John Heiney 2) Eric Dclf 3) Dave Biddle 4) Ron Young 5) Bill ] leaner 6) Dino DiNaso 7) Sebastian I .ugtcs Principal Judge: Scott Stewart. Associate Judges: Juan Corral, Chris Bolfing, Eric "The Life Guard" Smith, Jamie Lasser. Watch for the enrirc story in Hcmg Gliding magazine. HJ\NC CLIDINC

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the magazine. MUST reside Both Divisions - $39.50 (Must sign separate release.from Full Member)- ................ .. . with full member of same division.) Name and USHGA number of full member __________________.._, _____._.

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www.ushga.org

(12/99)

AND 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. 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. INJURIES' means personal injury, bodily t1nanc:1a1 injury sustained by Pilotas a result of PiJJ'f/TlirlP.tJ.TlfJN any USHGA programs (for example: the Pilot Proficiency System). If nP1r,.nna1 injury, bodily injury, death, nrr,,n,,.vtv aarnas~e Pilot as well as personal injury, bodily injury, sustained by Pilot's parents or legal guardians, as a result of administration of any USHGA programs. 3. 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~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 Pilot may launch, fly and/or land; All persons involved, in any manner, in the sports of hang gliding and/or paragliding at the site(s) where D "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 B. I w:nllts=vs:R n1i;;a..a;;.n.iia;; AND DISCHARGE the PARTIESfrom any and all liabilities, claims, demands, or causes of action that I may hereafter have for IN}'URJfES. however caused, even if caused by the negligence (whether active or passive) of any of the 1111:;,r..c::J'1.;,,;v PAJ~TIJ.:S, to the fullest extent allowed by law. C. I Will OR MAKE A CLAIM against any of the loss or damage on account of If Iviolate this agreement by filing such a suit or making such a claim, Iwill pay all attorneys' fees and costs of the ......,.11.,,•.,... v PJ4R17ES. D. I shall be governed and in accordance with the matters whatsoever arising under, in connection with or incident to this Agreement r:1lifnirni:11. U.S.A. to the exclusion of the Courts of any other State or Country. E. 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 Pilotis 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 If I am the parent or legal guardian of Pilo( I the for their defense and indemnity from any claim or liability in the event that Ptlot suffers IN even if caused in whole or in part by the negligence (whether active or passive) of any of the 111,:;,r..c,,.,.,,:;;v P.4R;r/E.S.

I have

understand, and

Adult Pltot's Signature

!Jate

Jijnat111~ ofPilot's f.rent or Legal Gllilrdian if f,lot 11nder 18years ofage.

!Jate

MMR \1-91

TEST PILOT

A pilot helps his friend with a "ncwstyle" winch tow system. A lockout occurs. F1x1Nc Ymm OwN GLIDER

A pilor hnys side wires :rnd installs them himself. The wires arc improperly crimped ;rnd the glider fails after launch. FLYING TANDEM

What J want to say here is that tandem pilots wid1 more than 500 flights with a spcci fie launch method have the best record. STRONG CONDJTIONS

And Accidents Or, Physi Doesn't Care if You' a Nice uy by

President David Glover

ver the years I have known a few people who have gol ten hurt or worse in our sports. "Of course, none of these things could ever happen to me," many think. Righr? Please take a moment to go through this list and sec if any apply to you or your friends. This is not to say rhar you can't get away with it sometimes. Just remember that some pilots haven't. l'm not trying to bum anyone om, just create awareness that small things can have large effects. AEROBATICS

A pilot is practicing spins. The glider recovers and V nc is exceeded. The wings fold up.

No W1mu.s A pilot flying without wheels misjudges his landing. His head swings into the keel and he is paralyzed. FElll<UARY 2000

/\frer follow pilots in the air radio thar conditions arc too strong, a pilot launches anyway and flies back into the ridge. COMPFT!TION

A pilot rearranges his parachute bridle to a non-standard location. The chute is deployed and the bridle encounters rhe pilot's neck. ADVANCED GLIDERS

J\ pilot who has not been active for a few years buys a competition wing, gets turned on launch and docs not seem to correct, flying back into the ridge. fMPllOPER P!ll'PLIC;J-IT

A pilot renting a glider with a non--standard setup assembles the glider incorrectly. The glider folds up at about 20 feet.

«Mostpeople would stay in the sport longer and enjoy it more jf they flew in conditions and on gliders that are below their skill level. )) My feeling is that rnosr people would stay in the sport longer and enjoy it more if they flew in conditions and on gliders that arc below their skill level. Think ahom it for a moment if tomorrow your glider were replaced with a beginner wing and every time you flew, the conditions were easy and enjoyable. Next time you think ,1bout what glider you arc going to buy or what conditions you plan to fly in, tell yourself, "This is sup posed to be fun." Make smart, profossional, long-term decisions. There is always tomorrow. Our ego is partly responsible for the feeling we can Ay; it shouldn't be the thing that gets us hurt.

Drwid is proposing a ntllirmrtl hang gliding and /Htragliding safety week in August. He can be reached at david((l>dauidglovo:com. He apologizes to anyom who was oUended hy the title of'this hejust liked the way "nice guy" sounded. Ill

Calendar of events items WIT J, NOT be listed if only tenrarive. Please include exact information (event, date, conract name and phone number). Jrems should be received no later than six weeks prior w the event. We request two months lead time few regional and narional meets.

MAY 5-7: 2000 Steeple Chase Races, by Western Hang Gliders and Coastal Condors. Enny foe $50. Sponsors solicited. Contact: Western I Gliders, (831) 381J2622, fax (8;) I) .'.Ji:)Lhe'..IJL/·I, Westcrnhangglidcrs<2ilao!.com, www.westernhanggliders.com.

COMPETITION

MAY 27-29: Midwest Championships, to be

MARCH 1-NOV. 15: Region 9 (!llrnost) Yearlong KC Contest. Multiple Classes, including Rigid and Paraglider (minimum five entries per class). Submit your single longest flight of the year starting in Region 9 (plus exceptions) on any day of the week. Contact: Pete Lehmann, 5811 Elgin Street, Pitrsburgh, PA 15206 (412) 661 3474, lplchmann0ilaol.com. hm11s and rules available at hnp://www.mhga.com/Waivers/waivers.html

MARCH 18-MAY 29: Region 9 5jJring Regional,. Multiple Classes, including Rigid and Paraglidcr (minimum five entries per class). Scoring by rota! of one's three best weekend X-C flights starting in Region 9 (plus exceptions) during that period. Contact: Pere Lehmann, 5811 Elgin Street, Pittsburgh, PA 15206 (412) 661-3471J, lplchmann(a,aol.com. hmns and rules available at !11tp:/ /www.rnhga.com/Waivers/waivers.html

APRIL 16-22: Wrdlahy Open '""'·'···-•,An,nu Hang Gliding Competition. 450-poim aerotow meet at Wallaby Ranch, Florida. Meer Director: J.C. Brown. $5,000 cash prize, welcome barbecue and grand awards cerc-· mony. T-lorcls within two miles will be offering a discounted rare for pilots, family and crew. Great food on site al! week! Come early and fly witb World Team Academy's Mike Barber, Gibbo, Ryan Clover, Paris Williams and Tiki Mashy. Conract: (863) 421-0070 or fly@wallaby.com.

APRIL 24-29: Third Annual !lt!tmtic Cortst Chttmpionships. First Class A sanctioned aerotow meet in the U.S., in central Florida. Multiple classes: topped, topless, rigid wing, single-surface. Quest Air will host nightly parries with cntertainrnent, onsite fr)ocl (breakfast through dinner), camping, showers and more. New for 2000: ·rhe first rettl glide ratio contest. ( :lose to all Disney atrractions, easy access w international airports. Lots of hotels and food close by. Sign up early to guarantee a spot. For emry information contact: www.jusdly.com, (252) 480-3552.

held at Twin Oaks Airport and support:ed by Raven Sky Sports. Great X-C challenge for Intermediate to Advanced pilots. Contact: Rik Bouwmcestcr (262) 681 545.3, toplessCtr>cxccpc.com. JUNE 23-25: Wild Wild West Regionals, Competitive hm flying with some of the best pilots at one oF the best flying sires in the West. McClellan Peak as well ;L, Slide M tn. arc the launch sites and the open desert is the LZ. Location, Carson City/Lake Tahoe, NV. lnc\udcs party, T-shirts and Silver Belt Buckle Awards. Registration: $100 until May 30, then $125. Contact: Advemurc Sports 883-7070, advspts@pyramid.net.

JUNE 23-29: Srmditt Open, organized hy rhe Sandia Soaring association. 'Three categories: rigid, topless and kingposted. Cuarantced fon! 02, radios and CPS highly recommended. Hang Ill's with instructor's approval (Crest launch). $100 before June, $125 afrer. 11rce camping and retrieves available on a limited basis. Contact: Mel Glantz, (505) 2%·5%2, mglanrz(21\1swcsr.nct, or David Sharp, flysharp 1(2.i)aol.com, #13 Sagebrush Cr., Edgewood, NM 870 l 5.

.JULY 1-8: Sandirt Classic 2000. The U.S. National Hang Gliding Championships, Albuquerque, New M~xico. 10th anniversary competition at Sandia Peale The premier meet of the millennium! Price includes entry fee, top-quality X-C rnsks, glider and pilot transportation to launch via Sandia Peak rramway, computerized GPS scoring, full-time paid staff'. free oxygen refills, daily prizes, host hotel and comp. lfoadquartcrs with special room rates, trophies for Class 1 and 2, awards dinner, custom collecror's shirr and more. J.C. Brown, meet director; Mike Gregg;, safcty director and organizer; Mark Mocho, scorekeeper and organizer. 65-pilot maximum field, Class l mid 2, 45 spots reserved fc)r pilots ranked in the top 80 USHGA Class I and rop l O USHGA Class 2. Remaining entries based on ranking and competition ;md flight experience. All

pilors must have USHGA Advanced rating, all special skills, and I 00+ hours mountain thermal experience. CPS mandatory. Early registration $300 U.S. if postmarked hefore June J, U.S. afrer. Refundable until May 3 J. Contact: Mike Gregg, 12117 St. Marys Dr. NE, Albuquerque, NM (505) 2/5-5978, (800) 77Ci-5'JT3, mgjbgregg@aol.com; or Mark Mocho (505) 298-2922, mmochoCt0 rr66.com. JULY 7-9: 2000 l<ing Mountain Meet, King Mountain, near Moore, Idaho. Open and Recreation classes, super--killcr greal trophies, barbecue Saturday night, daily prizes, driver awards, handicap scorin~~ system. Preregistration encouraged. Contact: Lisa Tate, Meet Director (208) :)76-7914, Zoolisa@aol.com.

AUG. l 3-20: !Jmc Star Ch(!mpionships, Hc;1rne, TX. Tnw meet. Meet Organizer, Micliacl Williams; Meet Director, David Glover. Contact: M ichacl Williams (281) 4 577878, rnichaclj.wil!iams@'ss.ps.ge.com.

AlJG. 26-SEPT. 5: Pcm !lrnerican Chttrnpirmships (Continental Championships), Dinosaur, CO.Contact: G.W. Meadows 480-3552, www.jstfly.com.

MAY 19-21: South Ci:trolinaSprin,~time Ply-in, at Classy Moun rain near Greer, SC. Come enjoy flying and competing (spot, dur;1rion, X-C, balloon toss, etc.) at this beaurifid south-facing; mountain. Plaques awarded to all 1st, 2nd and 3rd place finishers in ,ill competitions (except balloon toss). $20 entry fee for competition flying, $10 fcir fon flying. Fly-in Tshins and sweatshirts available. Glassy launch is 1,500' AGL Conract: Paul Peeples, P.O. Box 2121, Brevard, NC 28712 (828) 885-25%, pbrannenp01\;itcom.ne1..

MAY 19-22: 28th !lnnual !Jang Glidin,~ Spettacu/r1r and Air Garnes in Jockey's R.idgc State Park, Nag;s Head, NC and Currituck County Airport, Currituck, NC. The oldest continuous hang gliding compctirion in rhe world and Airsporrs Expo will includc diving, paragliding, ultralights and more. Dunc competitions begin on the 19th. Demonstrations, ,,crotow competition, street dance and awards ceremony. Annual inductions into the Rogallo Hall of Fame

1-11\NC GUDINC

d will close rhc ceremony on Sunday evening. All USHGA-rated hang glider pilots arc welcome ro compete. Conract: Kitty llawk Kites, Inc. (800) 334-4777. MAY 19-22: Kitty Flawh Kites Instructor !llumni Reunion, held in conjunction with the 28th Annual Hang Cliding Spectacular. If you arc one, or know any former Kl-lK insrrnoors, please get rhe word out rhat we wanr to sec you this spring! Conract: Bobbie Servant, hobhicQr:>kirryhawk.com. MAY 20-21 : Lake McClure Coyote Howl 2000, Fly-1 n of' the Millennium. Fun rncct for 1-!ang 111 and above. Improved launch and landing areas. Cash and lots of trophy awards, speed runs, X-C, pylon course, acrobatics, endurance, spot landings. Enter one category or all for one low fee of $40 if paid before April 15, $50 after. Limited to the first I 00 pilots. Send check to: Doug Prather, 1691 Vivan Rd., Modesto, CA 95358 (209) 556-0469. MAY 27-29: 2(/h !lnmtrd Mi/lmnium Manorial Drty Fly-In. The Rio Grande Soaring Assn. is celebrating 20 years. Fnn-flying competition, bomb drops. Dealers and demos available. Camping and discounrs on rooms. W c ,uc shooting for l 00 pilots. Corne join us for three days of noth-ing but fun! Emry fee of' $25 incl11dcs dinner and awards party, free beer and Jots of fun. Many prizes awarded. T-shirts and other apparel available. Corne fly Dry Canyon and help celebrate 20 years wirh the RGSJ\. For more info or early entries contact: Tom and Cindy West (505) 437-5213 or mail Rio c; ran de Soaring Assn., Jnc., 2216 Pecan Dr., Alamogordo, NM 88310.

CLINlCS/MEErINGS/TOURS

your guide in the Owens. 'Private one--ononc or group instruction available. h1rrher your flying education. Contact: Kari Castle (760) 872-2087, lmicasrlcCi7>telis.org, www.11orrhwestm1rdoors.com/fly/

FEB. 26-27: 17th !lnnual Northwest .!lvirttirm "hadc Show, Tacoma, WA, Puyallup Fair Crounds. Pree admission. Contact: Crant Smith, (li-25) 271-7 li-64, cmailaoa@ljuno.com, or Scon Cardncr, (125) 227-2880, www.faa.gov/fsdo/seafado/, Scort. Gard incrfhhq. faa. gov.

UNTIL MARCH: 1!tznr.. gliding tours, Valle de Bravo, Mexico. Weck-long tours, Sunday to Sunday, $795. Lodging, glider, transporration, retrieval, airport pickup and return included. Airmen's Rendezvous, Dec. 26-Jan. 2. C:onract: Jeffrey Hunt, 48 l I Red River St., Austin, TX 78751, phone/fox (512) li67-2529, mobile (512) 656-5052, www.flytcxas.com. UNTIL MARCH 30: Hrazil X-C four rwo--weck trips. Ulrra-consisrcnr winter conditions. Sixth tour led by Bob Morken, 20-year H C; pilot, five-year PC pilor. Tour begins in Rio, then moves to world· renowned Covcrnador Valadares which offers great X-C, out--and--rcrurn and triangle flying with 5,000' ACL (7,000' MSL) clouclbasc. Tour includes two weeks of horel accommodations, travel to Valaclarcs, breakfast and a ride to launch, X-C retrieval, tour guide, translator. Price: H c; $1,liOO, pc; $1,200. Contact: Bob Morken, Tour Coordinator, rmorken(tilhotmail.com, (530) 320-6675; Jarnes Rice, Tour Promoter, P.O. Box :3843, Incline Village, NV 89450 (775) 833-2118, 720-3539 (cell); Marilyn Hun, Travel /\gent, 1--800-235142.'3, marilynn@ltravel.fair.com.

George School, 511 I5th Ave. S., Seattle, WA. Contact C.J. and (;corgc Sturtevant for more information or to pre-register: (425-888) 3856, gcorgcs@nwlink.com.

MARCI-I-NOV.: Celebrating The Safety Tour, with Michael Robertson will he offering !P's, seminars and inspirational ralks. Contact: High Perspective. (905) 2942536, flyhighfllinforamp.com.

MARCH 16-19: USHGA Board ofDirmors meeting, J\lbuqucrquc, NM. 9) 6328300, ushga(11l11shga.org.

MARCH 20-26: Will., Anniversr1ry Demo Dtlys ar Wallaby Ranch. Wills Wing, conjunction with Malcolm Jones and rhe stafLn Wallaby, will be holding their third anm1al spring demo days and fly-in at Wallaby Ranch near Orlando, Florida. If you've been ro cirher of the two previous events, you already know why you'll wanr to come back. IF you haven't joined us yet, come on oml Ir's an opporttmiry to try out all of our larest gliders, get your acrotow sign-off, or just relax and have fon in the one place most conducive to having fun in hang gliding rhat we know of: We'll also he hosting a 27th anniversary p,my, and seminars on glider nming and maintenance, parachute deployment, repacking and maintenance as well as other topics of interest. Come join us! MARCH 25-APRfL 2: Super I nstrucror Certification and Tandem Certification Programs, Basic to Advanced. Reserve now. Contact: Lookom Mounrain Flight Park, 7201 Scenic Hwy., Rising Fawn, CA :30738 (706) 398-:3541, fox (706) 398-2906, flyQohanglidc.com, www.l1anglidc.com.

APRIL 28--.30: Mosquito C'linic hosred by 2000: Flying in Brazil 2000. Wonderful warm weather, flying in an exotic setting. Be part of the Adventure Sports trip ro Covenador Valadarcz, Brazil. Experienced instructors and guides. Take side-trips to Carnival or any of rhe beautifol beaches. 12 d,tys, $1,200 for paragliders, $1,400 for hang gliders. Includes room with breakfast and lunch, ride to launch, retrieval and 883--7070, guided tour. Contact: www. pyramid .ncr/advspts.

OWENS VALLEY 2000: Ply with a World

MARCH 10: The Northwest'.r Jlnnual Reservr Chute neployment and Repacking Sr:minm\ with Rob Kells of Wills Wing. $30 if pre-registered by 3/ 1, $10 after or at the door. Deployment practice begins at about 5:00 PM and continues until everyone has deployed and all chures arc repacked. Simulators for both hang and para pilots. New pilots: The clinic is free if you don't yer have a parachute to repack. Just bought a new reserve' Check the 9/98 issue of Han,~ Gliding magazine to sec why you need ro bring it to rhis seminar! Location: Sr.

Mountain Wings in Ellenville, New York, at the famous Ellenville Airport. Cucst host Bill Fifer (Mosquito distributor) will be on hand 10 assist you on your first demo flighrs as well as run the clinic. Come sec why the Mosquito is the hottest and newest accessory for your hang glider avc1ilablc today. Cost for the clinic is $100 and includes a barbecue (refundable with purchase). A deposit is required. Contact: Greg Black, (914) M7-:3.'377, mrnwings@aol.com.

Champion, 10-timc National Champion and X-C world record holder Kari Castle as

FEflRUi\RY 2000

1.),-

When I started hang gliding more than seven years ago I was astounded by the simplicity of our spo rt. After being properly trained I found that the hardware needed to fly was easy to understand and maintain. I quickly became very comfortable with the setup, breakdow n, repair and storage of what seemed to be very little equipment. The ability to soar like a bird with less than $5,000 ofgear was

THELMFP

something I had never thought possible. To me,

SKYCYCLE

hang gliding seemed to be the purest, simplest and most affordable form offlight available to man.

by Matt Mclelland

ver the years I've mer a variery of pilors involved with other fo rms of aviarion. I was always fascinared when ralking ro these sailplane, privare and ulualighr pilors abour our shared passion for flying. Bur throughour these conversarions I somehow felr superior because hang gliding required no moving parrs, no fossil fuel and little mechanical maimenance. While I respecred their choices in personal aviarion I sri ll considered mine ro be the puresr. I never thoughr I'd ever have the desire ro own or fly anything other than a hang glider - thar is, umil one sunny, complerely non-soarable day ar Lookour Mountain Flight Park. Afrer an unevenrful seven-minute sled run I had broken down my glider and was

comemplaring a second flighr when I ran inro Man Taber, owner of LMFP. I srarred ro complain because the day was so beauriful and rhere jusr didn't seem m be the slighresr amoum oflifr anywhere in rhe valley. Marr heanily agreed as he invired me inro LMFP's aircrafr hangar ro escape the hear. As he remrned m repairing the exhausr sysrem of his Dragonfly cow plane, I asked him abour the small rrike sirring near the hangar door. H e pur down his cools and proceeded m show me his laresr invemion, which ar the rime was nameless and referred ro as "rhe lighr rrike." Afrer giving me the grand rour and "modeling" his invemion with a few short flighrs around the LZ, he asked if I wan red ro give ir a uy. Inirially I responded with an empharic, " o way

Taber," remembering m y purist feelings abour hang gliding. Bur somehow Matt managed ro convince me ro make a few takeoffs and landings in one of his tandem training rrikes. We proceeded ro rake a few fli ghrs aro und the LZ, pracricing a number of simple mrning, diving and climbing maneuvers. Since it was m y firsr rime pil oting a small, powered, two-axis aircraft, I figured the learning curve wo uld have been much sreeper. Granred, I'm a H ang IV pilor wirh more rhan 200 hours of airrime, but was srill amazed ar how comforrable I felr flying a dual-searer rrike. Texpecred ro be a lirrle nervous, bur afrer a few rakeoffs and landings I was surprised ar how comfortable I felr behind the comrol bar. H ANG GLIDI NG

The author readies for takeoff

Engine detail.

Folded and ready for transport.

Soon after we landed I excitedly hopped into the "light trike, " buckled up, scarred rhe engine and cook off. I made a perfect takeoff, cruised around the LZ for 15 minutes and made a perfect landing. It was incredible. A few days lacer I ordered one.

ago I watched him design and construct an elaborate float system coo allow a tandem trike to cake off and land on water. And in 1996 I read char Marr received an award from rhe United Scares Ulrralight Association for designing a rrike for a paraplegic pilor.

THE MAN BEHIND THE MACHINE Marr Taber is well known throughout the hang gliding communiry as rhe founder and owner of Lookout Mountain Flight Park, America's premier hang gliding flight park and flight school. However, much less may be known about Mart's expertise in the design and construction of light aircraft. Over rhe years I have watched him build dual-searer trikes, a copless hang glider, and even an ultralight row plane. A few months FEBRUARY 2000

THE MACHINE Weighing in at just under 95 pounds, the SkyCycle is packed with features. As a weekend pilot deprived of rhe luxury ofliving near some son of landing field, one of rhe most appealing features of the SkyCycle to me is its portabiliry. As you can see from the photos, the SkyCycle folds in half just above rhe rear landing gear. Although ir's over six feet rail from rhe wheels to the cop

when folded, ir can be rransporred on a variery of vehicles. I purchased a platform rack (GO inches wide by 24 inches deep) char plugs into rhe receiver of my Nissan Pathfinder. I can easily hoist the SkyCycle landing gear irno rhe rray and rie ir off co the roof rack. I've seen this same configuracion used on a Volvo station wagon. I was pleasantly surprised to find how easy rhe setup and breakdown process was. or only can you load and unload everything without assistance, it's very easy co mow1r the wing to rhe SkyCycle and complete rhe setup.

The rear landing gear is made of 4130 spring sreel. Taber used his experience wirh

the lightweight, compliant suspension of the Bailey/Moyes Dragonfly's lancling gear to develop a similar gear leg for his row trike. After 700 hours of heavy use, Mart was convinced his design was solid and he created a scaled down version of that gear leg design for the SkyCycle. While the gear is extremely rugged, ir provides a surprising

amount of spring and damping that makes ic seem as though it's equipped with shock absorbers. Ir's simple, lightweight and strong. The SkyCycle tracks like an arrow on takeoffs and landing due to the trailing from fork design. To provide rolling srabiliry, Matt designed the front forks to be slightly raked back in trail so the SkyCycle easily tracks

The SkyCycle in flight.

Front fork detail.

straight with little pilot input. For some reason most trikes have the front fork raked forward (my training trike included) which makes them much less stable.

ENGINE The Zenoah G25B is a 25-horsepower, single-cylinder, two-cycle powerplant with a 2.5 to 1 reduction drive. The reduction drive allows the 52" wooden propeller to rorate at an efficient and quiet 2,600 rpm. This engine runs surprisingly cool and is an efficient design with a 40 to 1 fuel/oil mix. It's easy to see why this engine is the most popular engine for chis displacement, horsepower and weight. Zenoah has been around the ultralight industry for many years and has become well known for producing some of the most reliable and lightweight two-cycle engines. Komatsu, the Japanese manufacturer of this engine and reduction drive, is well known for making high-qualiry earth-moving and industrial machines. Like most things Japanese (includ ing my Nissan Pathfinder) I have found the engine to be very reliable, well made and easy ro use. The U.S. distributor for the Zenoah engine has been the same for more than 10 years. They are known ro provide excellent service and support for the engines should the need for parts or service arise. In my excellent engine manual it states that the engine should be rop-end overhauled every 250 hours. Ultralight pilots have reported over three rimes that much wich the engine still running strong. I'll let you know how long mine lases. It's important to remember char the Zenoa is not a certified aircraft engine, and you are nor supposed to completely put your life in its hands. Although its primary appli-

Mounting to the glider safety chain. 18

H ANG GLIDING

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Ask about paragliding and ultralight books. -Dealer inquiries invited-

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High Energy Sports Quantum Series Parachutes... The best you can buy! A reserve parachute is one of the most important purchases you will make. If properly cared for, your parachute will outlast your glider and your harness. A parachute can be your last hope for survival in a very bad situation. Make sure you have the best... make sure you have a Quantum Series Parachute by High Energy Sports.

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carion is for go-carts and ultralight aircraft, the manufacturer docs not certify this for aircrafr usage. As a result, I never fly my SkyCyclc low over any landing-unfriendly terrain because of the possibility of engine failure. The engine starts very easily, usually with the first or second pull. An electric srartcr is an option, although in my opinion not necessary. A remote-mounted choke is located just below the pull cord and must be turned on if more than 30 minutes have passed since the engine was last nm. Afrer using frill power (about 6,500 rpm) to climb to my desired altitude, l cut back to around 3,800 rpm to maintain a steady cruise. Using my Wills Wing HP AT wing, I can cruise at 35 to 40 mph at about 60%i power. With the 2. 5-gallon fuel tank I can fly around comfclrtably for abour rwo homs with a moderate foci reserve. For a two-· cycle engine I have found it to he very smooth, quiet and extremely reliable. OTHER FEATURES The SkyCycle comes with a four-point seat belt system. Along with the smooth-working suspension you get a supportive, comfortable, foam-padded seat. 'fogcthcr with some clever heel resrs mounted to the foot peg I can fly comfrmably for hours. The gauge package consists of a combination tachomcrer/hour meter and a CHT (Cylinder l·lead Ternperature)/EGT (Exhaust Cas Temperature) gauge. The gauges arc mounted on clever folding mounts to keep the gauges protected and out of die way when the SkyCyclc is folded. But perhaps the most important fcarurc(s) is the level of detail exhibited in all the safety "sysrems" designed into the SkyC:ycle. First of all there's a backup attachment from the SkyCyele to the wing, just in case rhc main connector foiled for any reason. Second, all engine bolts have been painted in such a way that the pilot can quickly ascertain during his preflight if somerhing has come loose. All bolts associated with the exhaust and engine mounts arc safety wired in rbe unlikely event they might back out due to engine vibration. Finally, there arc plenty 0Lmacl11nc111 points for the carahincr and bridle of my backup reserve parachute. PERSONAL OBSERVATIONS A complete serup and preflight of my HP AT and SkyC:ycle rakes abour 40 mirn1tes. Once ['m fueled and strapped in, a single

pull (or two) of the starrer cord brings the Zenoa to life. When the cylinder head temperature reaches abour 250 degrees I'll taxi to one end of the field, line up on the strip, give it foll power (about 6,700 rpm), and begin rny takeoff roll. As I approach 25 mph 1 begin to ease the control bar forward and start to climb. Depending on the terrain and wind direction, takeoff occurs in less than 100 feet. As I leave the ground I let the bar float hack to neutral and then begin to ease out again to minimize the "pendulum" effect all trikes undergo during takeoff. While still at foll power I pick a heading, set the pitch and climb away. In most cases my clirnb rare averages about 500 fpm. Afrcr reaching cruising altitndc I cut back on the power and start to cruise. Maneuverability and roll and pitch pressure arc easier due to the extra weight of rhe SkyCyclc. The HP Ar is easy to fly, rracks and cruises well. l'vc been told that some gliders track bcncr on takeoff and landing when a tail fin has been installed, although I don't use one myself. Landing my SkyCycle is very straightforward. After a standard aircraft approach over the landing field I line up the SkyCycle with the center of the field, let the engine idle and start my final descent. I level off about five feet above the ground until the glider comes to trim speed, slightly pitch up the nose so my back wheels touch first, and set her down. The rear landing gear comfortably soaks up all field irregularities as you slow to a stop. The rollout takes less rhan 75 feet, thus no need for brakes. [ do cut the engine and practice non-powered landings from time to time. Although landing the SkyC:yclc without power is bit more rricky than with the secmity ofan engine, it's still easy once you're comfortable with rhc landing characteristics. WHAT WINGS WILL WORK? Lookout Mountain has modified many different gliders for the SkyCycle. In addition to my trusty old Wills Wing HP Ar I've seen the SkyCycle fly under an Airwave Pulse I 0/11, Airwavc Magic 4 177, Sensor 180, Wills Wing Super Sport 153/163, Wills Wing Sport 180, Wills Wing Falcon 195/225, Wills Wing Fusion 1SO, Axis 170, Altair Saturn, Airborne Sting 1 1 Airborne Fun 190 and two Exxtacies. Most gliders can be easily modified to handle the extra weight, and Man insists on personally evaluating and designing each modification. My Wills Wing HP AT was modified at the keel and the crossbars. The keel was

sleeved to two inches in the area that the trike attaches and rhc crossbars were sleeved with four-foot sleeves. We also had to remove the VC system to accommodate the atrachmem point to rhe SkyCycle, install some tandcrn--strcngth side wires, and move the control har back a bit. The modifications to my HP AT were completed by Christian Thornsen, LM FP's head instructor/glider-repair god. I'm not exactly sure why, but it flies much better when foot· launched than l ever remember! TRAINING As a Hang IV pilot with experience flying in all types of conditions, it didn't rake rnc long to become very comfortable with the SkyCycle. Afrcr a single onc--hour training flight 1 was ready to solo. Although I probably would have bendited from more rraining, the transition to the SkyC:ycle was very smooth. With my level of experience I had no problem masrering the basics of flying under power. Matt tells me less experienced pilots (Hang lfl) on average can expect to solo after !Ive hours of tandem trike training. I recently spoke with a gentleman from Texas who was an experienced Hang 11 pilot (40 hours) who learned to solo the SkyCycle with f<.iur hours of' dual instruction. As with everything in hang gliding, the time it takes to learn and exercise these: skills can vary. If you do not have any flying experience you can expect to spend about six ro 10 hours to transition. LOW COST The cost of a SkyC:ycle is about the same as a high-performance flex-wing glider -$5,500. This docs not include the wing or reserve clrntc system. Other available options arc an instrument gauge pacbge (cylinder head temperature, exhaust gas temperature, RPM/engine usage monitor) for $349 and an engine/prop cover for A few months ago I envied the insrallation of a rocket-deployed BRS tandem parachurc system, but concluded that l was completely comfortable with my handdeployed tandem reserve parachute. The cost of the SkyCyclc is very reasonable when compared to the other light trikes available. [ looked into several other light trike options bcf<:we purchasing the SkyCycle, but just didn't think the others provided the same value. CONCLUSION 'faber designed and built the SkyCycle to I-IJ\NC Cl!DINC

provide an easy, convenient and fim way to fly no marter where you live. Although it was originally designed for people who live too for from a mountain or aerorow park, Marr has sold a number of SkyC:ycles to pilots who just wanted to fly on nonsoarable days. Due ro my hectic work schedule l 'm predominately a weekend pilot, and since Mother Nature doesn't always provide soarahlc days on Saturdays and Sundays, the SkyCycle was :i great alternative for me. 'I <l date I have logged more than 35 hours on my SkyC:yclc with no incidents. Although some owners use their Skyeydes almost exclusively for soaring, I've found that I prefer the cross-country freedom much more. I have flown cross-cmmtry exploratory runs of' over 30 miles with total confidence. While the SkyCycle has opened up a whole new way for me to fly, my true passion is still foot-launch flighL with my hang glider at my local flying site. The SkyC:ycle allows me to get a weekly "air fix" on lcss-rhan-op1imal soaring days, and allows me l'O fly in areas without mountains or aerorow parks. And it has allowed me fly over areas at my local foot·"launch site where ['vc never been able to go in a hang glider. Although many of my fellow purist hang gliding friends think I've "sold out," I firmly disagree and ofren laugh on lighi-;rnd-variahlc days when I'm high above rhe motmtain and they're waiting around on launch for that perfect cycle. The SkyC:yclc has proved to be a great addition to (but not a replacement for) my passion for hang gliding.• /,MFP may he reached at: 1-800-688-/,MPR fly(a)f/(./nglide. com, www. hanf',lide. com. hd. FrnRLJ/\RY 2000

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ls TIIERE PRIZF MONEY? As of th is writing we're trying to secure a $2,500 purse to be distributed among the winners of the mcer. While it can't be guaranteed at this time, it looks promising.

So WHAr's NEW?

As of this writing it's looking as though the ACC for this year may he the largest aero-tow meet ever in the U.S. With a good number of pilots al ready entered, the Freid looks like it will definitely be competitive. 'T'he purpose of rhis article is to ler everyone know what t:o expect.

For those who haven't been there, Quest Air is located at a private airport in Groveland, Florida (just outside of Orlando). The runways arc well-groomed grass strips that: allow plenty of room fcir all kinds of towing. The strips arc ringed by a pond, rhe Quest Air adminisrrative buildings, a pool, hot tub, vollcyhall court, children's playground, camping area and a small orchard. It's a wonderful place ro spend a week fly-

A new feature of this year's meet will be a "real glide ratio contest." Utilizing laser range finders and radar tcchnolo1:,'Y, each morning, while rhe air is still calm, there will be a comest in which pilots will tow up to approximately l ,000 feet and enter a straight-line flight course where their altitude will be measured upon entry and exit. Speed will be monitored along the course and must not deviate more than a specified amount. With these numbers we'll be able to determine "real-life" glide ratios. Unlike other glidc--ratio contests this one will not rely on a pilot's launch technique, nun efficiency or willingness to fly into the ground for a high score. All classes of gliders will be allowed ro compete in the glide ratio contest (including paragliders), and there will be a small foe ro do so. Many pilots have already expressed interest in finding out what kind of glide they arc getting on rheir supcrships. You do not have to be entered in the ACC to parricipate.

count:ry triangles as well as rn11-and-rcrurn. Only when wind conditions don't allow, will cornpetitors not return to the Quest Air facilities as the goal. This "no long drive back to headquarters" frmrn1t will allow pilots to have a competitive day and still have rime for family and friends in the evening.

Wl !ERE CAN I GET MORE INFORMATION?

How ABOUT THE FESTIVITIES? Just like last year, Quest Air will have food and beverages available for every meal of the day. Breakfast, lunch and dinner will all be served righr on the premises, allowing pilots a relaxed schedule. And, just like last year, Quest Air has arranged for some gre;lt nightly entertainment. The complete billing isn't finalized yet, bur you can plan on a fun, festive time every evening.

The most information is available on the www.justfly.com Web sire. You can sign up on line and there is a new feature this year: You can download the rulebook and other printed material. Using PDF software (free on the Web site), you can print out the rulebook and have it in your hands ahead of time. You arc also welcome to call the meet director and organizer, G.W. Meadows, at 480-3552. You can also sign up by phone.•

WHAr's THE SCIIEDULE AND FORMAT?

This year's conrest will begin on Monday; April 24 and the last competition day will be Saturday the 29th. This schedule for travel from all pans of the country out missing an extra workday. Being an acrotow meet, pilots must have an AT noff beforc the meet begins (clinics will available before the meet). Pilors must have an X-C signoff and a minimum Jntermediate rating. The format for this year's meet will he race--to-goal wid1 cross-

Hi\NC GUDINC

Board of Directors REGION 1 00) Bill Bolosk~ (425) 557- 9 1 bolosky@microsoft.com

REGION 3 Ken Baier (R - 00) (760) 753-2664 airjunkies@worldnet.atl.net

John Greynald (R - 01) Steve Roti (R - 01) (805) 682-3483 (503) 284-0995 throgrog@aol.com paragliding@compuserve.com Gregg Lawless (R - 01) Gene Matthews (H - 00) (858) 484-2056 (206) 488-1443 glawless@sempra-slns .com skydog@gte.net Rob Kells (H - 00) Bob Hannah (H - 00) (714) 998-6359 (206) 328-1104 rob@willswing .com paraskr@aol.com Gil Dodgen (Editor) REGION 2 (949) 888- 7363 Ray Leonard (R - 00) (949) 888-7464 fax (775) 883-7070 gildodgen@aol.com advspts@pyrarnid.net REGION 4 Jamie Shelden (R - 01) Mark Ferguson (R - 00) (408) 353-5159 (303) 439-9542 jrshelden@aol.com mark@ballvarios.com

REGION 6 Jeff Sinason (R - 01)

(3 14) 542-24 73 jsinason@itdcomm.com REGION 7 Bill Bryden (R - 00) (812) 497-2327 bbryden@hsonline .net Dan Johnson (L - 00) (651) 450-0930 CumulusM an@aol.com REGION 8 Douglas Sharpe (R - 00) (978) 318-9714 dsharpe@tiac.net Randy Adams (H - 00) (603) 543-1760 randyadams@cyberportal .net

REGION 10 Matt Taber (R - 01) (706) 398-3433 fly@hanglide.com David Glover (R - 00) (706) 657-84 85 david@davidglover.com G.W. Meadows (H - 01) (252) 480-3552 info@justfly.com John Harris (H - 00) (252) 441-4124 ucanfly@outer-banks .com Steve Kroop (H - 00) (352) 331-6729 usaflylec@aol.com

Scott Gasparian (R- 01) (650) 218-3984 gaspo@igi.org

Jim Zeiset (R - 01) (719) 539-3335 jimzgreen@aol .com

REGION 11 Kent Robinson (R - 01) (972) 960-0516 REGION 9 David "Randy" Legget! (R - 01) flydallas@aol.com (412) 661-3474 REGION 12 Paul Voig ht (R - 00) Geoffrey Mumford (R - 00) (914) 744-3317 (202) 336-6067 flyhigh@frontiernet.net gmumford@apa .org

Ed Pitman (L- 00) (916) 359-2392 epitman@c-zone.net

Larry Sanderson (H - 00) ( 505) 392-1177 Larryssa@aol.com

Dennis Pagen (L - 00) (814) 422-0589 hm pagenbks@lazerlink .com

Russ Locke (H - 01) (408) 737-8745 russlocke@juno .com

Liz Sharp (H - 01) (303) 530-0718

Chris DuPaul (H-00) (540) 672-0065 Krisdupaul@ aol.com

Ken Brown (H - 01) (415) 753-9534 kennyb2u@aol.com

REGION 5 Frank Gillette (R - 00) (208) 654-2615 Watercyn@cyberhighway .net

Art Greenfield -NAA (X) 1-800-644-9777 awgreenfield@naa-usa.org

Jan Johnson (L - 00) (914) 695-8747 Paul Rikert (L - 00) (914) 946-9386 Lars Linde (H - 00) (732) 747-7845 larslinde@compuserve.com

REGION 13 (lnt'I) Jan Johnson (L - 00) See Reg 12 Michael Robertson (H - 00) (905) 294-2536 flyhigh@inforamp .net USHGA Executive Director Philip Bachman PO Box 1330 Colo Springs CO 80901 (719) 632-8300 wk (719) 632-6417 fax phbachman@ushga.org ushga@ushga .org EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE President-David Glover Vice President-Mark Ferguson Secretary-Bill Bryden Treasurer-Geoff Mumford KEY: (R)-Reg ional (L)-At Large (H)-Honorary (X)-Ex Officio COMMITTEE CHAIRS: Competiti on-John Borton Membership & Dev-Steve Roti Site Mgmt-Randy Leggett HG Acci dent-Bill Bryden PG Accident-Paul Klemond Awa rds-Jan Johnson Bylaws-Paul Rikert Nat'I Coordinat. -Dennis Pagen Planning-Geoff Mumford Safety & Training-Bill Bryden Tandem-Paul Vo ight Towing-Geoff Mumford (01105/00)

THE 1999 COUPE

n late August, as I was running the Pre-Pan Am C hampionships in Dinosaur, Colorado, I'd gotten an e-mail from the Aeros factory asking n1e to m eet them in France in a few weeks. It seems that they had gotten their new rigid wing up and Aying and they wanted to meet with me about it and some marketing subjects. Alexander Voronin, the manager and scrucru ral engineer at Aeros in Ukraine, told m e that they would be exhibiting at the Coupe Ica.re H ang Gliding and Paragliding Festival in the southeastern part of France and he wanted me to an end. I'd never been to France, although my wife Jan and I had once tried to drive to Chamonix a few years ago from Switzerland, only to be turned back by an avalanche-covered roadway, and I thought this proposed excursion sounded like a good rime and an opportunity to once again use business as a grand excuse to enjoy some of the cooler things in life . Jan let me know right away that seeing France fo r the first time wasn't something I was likely to do without her, so I called up the airline and acquired two tickets to Paris. We flew into Charles de Gaulle International early one September morning, two days before the Coupe Icare was slated to start. I'd been interested fo r several years in the 1944 D -D ay invasion, so we planned an excursion to the Normandy region of France to rake in some histo ry and soak up the feel of O ma.ha Beach and the memorial cemetery there. T he experience was incredibly sobering and o ne I wouldn't trade for anything. I would suggest that all Americans visiting France rake the time to tour this area where so much sacrifice was made. It was moving. N ormandy is a three-hour drive to the northwest of Paris, and having finished our tour of char region we set our sights on Sr. Hilai re, about a five-hour drive somh of Paris. Being near G renoble, once we got onto the highway in Normandy it was a simple and easy drive to our destination. Most of France is flat or has gently rolling hills, and it wasn't until we were about an hour out of G renoble cl1at we started to see some vertically varied terrain . W im a low overcast we could tell mac we'd

H ANG GLIDING

entered the mountains, bur we couldn't quite tell how high they were. I'd heard much about the Film Festival at St. Hilaire and knew char there were big costume parties where pilots flew hang gliders and paragliders off the mountain, but I really didn't know much else about what to expect. We followed the well-marked streets (and the descending paragliders) until we found the LZ, which was located right at the foot of what appeared to be an approximately 2,000-foot-high granite ridge that stretched quite a distance in both directions. The low cloudbase capped the granite-adorned ridge line, bur the paraglider pilots who were darting in and out of the clouds didn't appear to be bothered by the m ist. The LZ was very busy with paraglider pilots stuffing their laundry into backpacks for another trip up the hill. A couple of bars and a restaurant line the eastern perimeter of the ample landing field and a large crowd flowed out onto the patios where folks were dining and watching the aerial spectacle. Jan and I walked around a bit, trying to get a feel for what was going on organizationally, and we stwnbled into a paragliding school at the end of the row of businesses. I enrered to inquire about the location of the rradeshow while Jan waited outside enjoying the festivities. After a few "broken English" conversations (we weren't going to get far ifI tried my French), I acquired a map

of the general area and was told how to get co the top of the ridge where the bulk of the festivities would take place. We watched a few more paragliders land and then worked our way up the ridge along a beautiful two-lane blacktop that was lined with really old barns and chateaus. As we rounded a corner, a large array of exhibition tents caught our gaze and a beautiful hillside of green, green grass was roped off for parking. We were here a few hours early, so there wasn't a lot of activity yet. We parked the car and went to the administration office where I registered as a member of the press and we received our badges that would allow for unhampered access to the area. Now it was rime to get down co business. I needed to find Alexander and the rest of the Aeros gang. Using the exhibition map, I hunted down the appoimed display area for Aeros and fow1d Sergey Sergeyv, the designer of the Aeros Target, as well as Oleg Skirko, the chief designer of the new rigid wing. After a brief period reacquainting and introducing my wife to them, I inquired about Alexander and learned that he had gone co secure lodging for us all. This was great, considering that Jan and I hadn't put any efforr inm deciding where we'd sleep while we were in the area. Soon, Alexander rerurned and announced d1at he had found a chateau just up the road, so we were stylin'.

Bumble bee hang glider pilot. Photo by Juan Arraiz. FEBRUARY 2000

One of the habits I have when I arri ve at a new place is co get a "lay of the land," so I set our to investigate the area and see exactly what the Coupe Icare is comprised of. The firs t place I visited was the remainder of the exhibition area. Ir was made of two gigantic tents housing close to 200 exhibitors. While the majority of the focus was obviously on paragliders, there were a lot of hang gliding products being displayed. In addition co Aeros, Icaro had a large booth where they were showing off their helmets and the Atos. A couple of other hang gliding m anufacturers were there, mostly those primarily involved in the European market. Tons and tons of varios, helmets, flight suits, books, toys, flags, kites, radios, wheels and paragliders lined the tents, and the whole indoor event was raking on a colorful life of its own. The organizers of the 1999 Coupe Icare had paid quite a few entertainers to wander the tents and work their magic during the course of the three-day event. O ne notable group was a roving percussion band that featured steel drwns, one of my favo ri tes. Others included a big vampire-like character who walked around on four-foot-high stilts. This darkly adorned bloodsucker also later demo nstrated his talents as a pilot, as he launched his paraglider off the hill in this costume (stilts and all) into light conditions in which many pilots were having problems launching in their everyday

A paraglider pilot looping.

Imide the exhibit hall.

Crab launch.

shoes. One of the most remarkable things I saw during my whole time at the festival, however, was another percussion group comprised of two Tibetan garbed drum players followed by a winged and eagle-headed dancer who was on three-foot stilts. The most intriguing thing about this feathered dancer was that she really got into being an eagle. Her every move was eagle-like, from the way she walked on the stilts to the way she moved her head in a decisive, almost notched rotation. You could actually believe she was the majestic bird if you allowed yo urself to. I was completely taken by this. It was mesmenzmg. We moved into our chateau in the early evening just as the low cloudbase started to lift and soon discovered that we were not at the top of the mountains even at this elevation. Rising above us, and I do mean above us, was at least another 4,000 feet of peaks. We were in the Alps! I guess I didn't do enough homework to realize exactly where we were, and that, combined with the low cloudbase, really caught me off guard. Man, this was beautiful! The setting sun lit up the granite peaks and the cows were walking home, theirs bells clanking in harmony. The hills were truly alive witl1 the sound of music. Nearly surreal. That evening the Aeros gang decided to cook dinner for us. It was delicious. Those guys are quite handy in the kitchen. They don't have a plethora of restaurants in their homeland so they came completely prepared. Some Ukrainian dishes are a bit more tasty than others, bur this night they really cooked a good one. One of our jobs at this gathering of Aeros folks (the dealer from Switzerland, Philipp Aeberli, and the dealer from Spain, Alexander Gonzales, had arrived) was to decide on a name for the new Aeros rigid wing. The Ukrainians won't name a glider HANG GLIDING

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until it has been flown, and their new entry into the rigid-wing market had made its 1n;1iden flights just a week or so earlier, so we had to give it a name. Out came the vodka and we sat around the table, eating and drinking while pitching possible names out on the table. By 2:00 AM we hadn't decided on anything other than the fact that we needed to go 10 hed, so we agreed to resume our name hunr the following day. On rhe second clay of the festival we really started to look around a lot. There were three official launches: one for hang gliders only, one mostly frw paragliders and one rhar was only for the masqncrade flights. We took our official press badges down to the masquerade launch and were absolutely amazed at the number orspccta· tors. I'rn not particularly good at estimating crowds, but f don't think I'm exaggerating when I say there were at least 5,000 people sitting amphirhcatcr-stylc around the launch area. It was absolmcly amazing. Ar one point during the day I'd estimate that at least 200 paragliders and up to about 10 (yeah, only I 0) h;mg gliders were in the above us. It was sport aviation showing its best colors. Dozens of masquerading pilots were lined up, paraglidcrs in hand, ro pre-pare for launch. Jan found bcrsclfa scat on the hillside, bur I, using my almighty "press badge," pushed my way down to launch to get a good perch to rake some photographs. Being someone who organizes a lot of events, I really studied what was going on at the masquerade launch,

The ea8ie lady.

and true to form, this well-organized meet was made to look very easy. The French aren't as strict about helmets as we arc in the U.S., and I noticed many pilots founching sans head protection. The safety systems on launch were transparent· until they were deployed. For example, with all the costumes and such, it was difficult for pilots to clear their Jines bcf()fC \caving the end or the ramp, especially in light winds. [n the event of an improperly innatcd canopy; a wellplaced safoty worker would jump up and grabs a brake before the pilot reached the end ofthe ramp. This allowed pilots to get a full head of steam as they atternpted a launch, knowing, however, that they'd be stopped before they committed ifthcrc was a problem. The costumes were hilarious. Some things you would never have thought of in a million years flew off the hill that day, and the crowd really loved it. h was a day on which you could be very proud to be a sport aviator. ft was like watching die best parade ever, and hang glidi11g and paragliding acrobatics pilots would fill in during the slow times on launch. IC the wind would blow down a mile per hour or two, holding up launch, it was prearranged that a radio·guided hang glider or paraglider pilot would fly over ar about 200 foet above us and loop or spin down below lauuch, then work back up until they were needed again. 'The show was never boring, and upbeat music was played at just the right decibel level, adding to the fostivc atmosphere. I don't know what the flying conditions are like at this site on an average day, bm f think you could have thrown a piano off the hill that day and it would have gone up. Thermals abounded, hut they were very tame. l didn't sec any unplanned collaps' cs and pilots oF all skill levels were filling the air. After a few hours we walked back over to the exhibition tents and took in more of the commerce that was going on. On the hillside just outside 1hc exhibition tent:s pilots were allowed ro bring their used wings and display them for sale. This was a real learning experience for 1he true American in me. There were so many brands of' wings I'd never heard of, and they were sharp. We, here in the U.S., have a tendency ro think that we do everything the best and only way, but other than bathroom plumbing and the location or light switches, we really don't have that much on the

Europeans. It was really interesting walking around and viewing rhe hundreds of used gliders on display; and seeing how each man· ufacturcr approached different problems. It was a true learning experience. That night we decided to attend the film fc:srival. l .ocatcd in a very large building, I would estimate that the screen was abour 20 feet high and 50 feet wide. Hundreds or chairs were set up and hundreds or people filled them. '] 'he films were excellent. They didn't all pertain to hang gliding and paragliding, but they all did pertain to Oying. The sound system was top notch and our "press badges" had us through the door like we were greased down. After a few hours of this fon we ldt, went back to the chatea11, broke out the vodka again and sat around umil 3:00 AM, when we finally came up with a name we all agreed upon for rhc new Acros rigid wing. Success at last. On the last day of rhc festival [ had to take care of some import business, hut also needed to fly the new Acros tandem glider in order ro offrr some feedback on it. A beautiful flight was capped off by a lovely landing in the afrcr which l strolled over to rhe bar and imbibed. That evening, Jan and J were treated to a wonderful dinner by Giani Hot1, and his lovely wifo Anna. Giani is the owner or learn ;me! I've been doing business with him for about five years now. IL was so good to spend time with even more friends. Ciani and Anna arc a class act. We spent rhe next morning packing np and saying goodbye to our Ukrainian friends. 'T'hcse folks arc so great. 'rhe best part about the traveling I do is the friends [ make. I'm not getting rich dollar-wise in this business, but true wealth can't be rneasurcd that way. I'm blessed with great friends all over the globe. We motored om way back to Paris where we spcm the night, got· up and spent a fow hours visiting a couple oflandmarks. We checked om rhc Eiffel 'T<)We!' and the Arc de 'friomph before heading back to the airport to begin a long flight imo the jct-stream headwind. I get ro do for a living what most people only dream about. As a result, I've been able ro attend many frce-fligln events, and can say without reservation that I have nr:ver been to one that is any more fun than Coupe lea re. J will put it on my calendar yearly and will try to find an cxrnse to go. I suggest you do the same. It was great! Oh yeah, we named the new rigid wing the Stalker. Ill HANC GLIDINC

UH world meet may have turned out differently.

~y Dennis Pagen

he latest CTVL Bureau (the same as rhc USH( ~A Executive Committee) met in St. Bricuc, Prance, November 18-21. This report is a summary of that meeting. There were many more subjects covered that arc not reported here, but most of them arc not of general interest, and many of these items deal with competition. All of these subjects and more will be open for discussion at the plenary meeting that will take place in Barcelona, h:bruary

INTERNATIONAL INSURANCE I have rcccnrly reported the movement to acquire international insurance. The hin-dra11cc is gathering the actuary data and coverage limits oC the international community. But the power of numbers makes this an appealing pursuit. The consolidation process is continuing. I can report a few of the insurance costs of the coumrics represented at rhc meet-· ing. The Australian Federation spends 130,000 AUS dollars (abom $78,000) for 3,000 members. That amounrs ro US $26 per pilot and compares to our current cost of $7.77 per pilot. The French FFVL has abom 30,000 pilots and pays 300 FF per pilot (about US $50) but this coverage incl\ldcs a third-parry liability pilor-topilot indemnity, school liability, and media.ti expenses. The British BHPA spends IJ00,000 pounds, or about $250,000 for insurance. [ am not sure how rnany members there arc, but it is less than in the US HCA.

GENERAL COMPETITION

Pilot Skills

Afrcr rhc ltrst of the year, all pilots Fllll,lJAIN 2000

(paragliding and kmg gliding) competing in Category 1 events (World and Continental Championships) must have minimum qualiftcations as fclllows. The pilot must either: I) be in the top twothirds of the PRS (pilot ranking system operated by rhc CIVL) ranking, or; 2) have finished in the top two-thirds ofa Category II CIVL sanctioned event, or; 3) have competed in a Category I event previously. Experience from different classes will he accepted. 'J 'he purpose of these standards is to reduce the number of accidents due to pilot inexperience at major meets. ft is mostly paraglidcr driven, but it is not a bad idea /cir hang gliding as well. The PRS has been running for a couple of years now and many U.S. pilots arc in rhc system thanks to our policy of sanctioning all of our USHCA-sanctioncd meets under the C[Vl, as well. It behooves us to continue rhis process since it will allow oew pilots robe qualified. '!°here arc currently 503 Class l (hang gliding), 575 Class :3 (paragliding) and 26 Class 2 (rigid-wing) pilots in the reported ranking which represents the top twothirds of pilots worldwide who competed in CTVI ,-sanctioned events. 'fhe ranking is available in the (]VJ, section of the FA! Web site.

Minimum Meet Stcmdards It has been proposed to change the rules to allow a champion to be declared after one round oFa minimum of .2 validity from the current required four rounds. The idea of this pol icy is to reduce pressure on meet directors to push for rounds in questionable or invalid conditions. With this change in cffoct, the paragliding

C ~ GPS and Race Program The use of CPS in competition is encouraged and will be the primary method of' flight vcriltcarion in CTVL-sanctioned meets. By springtime the GPS scoring program should be available for PC's. l 11 the fi.nurc it will tied in to the Race scoring program. hir the latest G [)S update visit the Web site of Mike Zupanc, the Australian delegate at: www.ozcmail.com.au/ ~zupy/indcx. htn1l The Race li.O program is now up and running and available on the FA] Web site. Ir will be used in all Category 1 even Ls next year. A matter related to CPS scoring is allowing a pilor ro advance on course, then backtrack to a safe landing field. The piloi's furthesr poim will he awarded iC the proposal carries. The idea is to enhance safoty by reducing the inducement to dive forward to land in hostile territory or under a boomer.

JH HANG GLIDING COMPE1lTION A

Glider Stanclcm:ls

The process to adopt more defined glider standards in competition is proceeding. The ad hoc comrnitrcc that met 3t the last USHGA meeting (consisting of Roh Kells, Jim Lee, John Bonon, C.W. Meadows, Jim Zeiser and myself) added revisions to the original document thar I produced in response to the original German/ Austrian document. '!'his latter document is being forwarded to the ClVL committee in charge of making a ltnal proposal. That committee is headed by Klaus 'I \rnzler of rhe DHV. Most likely we will have some standards set for this year's sanctioned competitions. These standards will be certain structural limits and pitch device settings.

Clc1.1:, 2 and 1

There has been much discussion on the Internet about which gliders should he included in Class 2 and which should be excluded. Much of this discussion ignores the current deltnitions, a part of which says it must be "foot--launchablc and land-

u able in nil wind." We have now proposed a tesring comrnittee and review procedure that questionable designs would have to satisfy. 'fhis procedure is in draft form and hasn't ycr been reviewed by the entire cornmittee. I ·lowever, anyone wishing ro sec the drafr may do so by requesting it from me.

Wheelr

Davis Straub's proposal to require wheels on competition hang gliders made it to the Bureau agenda. Ir was discussed with the same spirit at the Bureau meeting as it was at tbc USHCA Competition Committee meeting. It was unanimously rejected. It is possible that this matter will arise again in plenary session.

Reach Racing and Accuracy !.anding

There has been a request to create a sanctioned evem called bmch racing. The concept is similar to the Marina Steeplechase or the 'forrcy Pines races. there is no objection from the Bureau and it will he discussed further in the plenary. You m:iy rec1l\ that I previously reported about Accuracy landing. · J'his is acrually a paragliding pursuit whereby a pilot is towed aloft and releases a couple of hundred feet up ro zero in on a target. The first sanctioned world meet will take place this coming summer in England.

to fly a prototype in sanctioned competition must have a written letter of agreemem from the manufacturer. B Past World Meet We spent extensive time discussing the latest World Meet in Bramberg, Austria. l expressed the U.S. concerns, but without a directive from the USJJGA Tcouldn't force a particular poinr other than the need for more safety considerations and the power to control a meet director gone berserk. Several matters have been addressed to help prevent such factors in the fi11ure. First, as reported above, the number of valid rounds has been proposed to be one rather rhan four. Second, if more than l 00 pilots arc entered in a meet they must be broken clown into smaller groups unless the meet director can demonstrate some form of crowd control. Third, it was pointed out that the Jury President can stop an unsafe or unfair meet according to FAI General Section (li.3.2). fourth, task cancellation and rescue landing policy must be announced before the start of the meet. Finally, we :ire rewriting the definition of the safety group so that it is responsible for stopping flying if matters become obviously unsafe.

JV IV PARAGLIDING COMPETrTION

COMPETITION CALENDAR

There are 25 more paragliding competitions scheduled throughout the world.

The calendar also appears on the following web page: www.pwca.org/acccui1_..calcndar_2000.htm.

HANG GJJD!NG 2000 WORLD FEMALE HG CHAMPIONSfllP in Greece: June 16- 24, 2000 SPEEDRUN HG in Austria: June 2000 SPA NJ Sf-I HG OPEN 2000 (test competition for the World Air games of 200 I): June 27-July 6/8, 2000 (to be confirrned) EUROPEAN HG CHAMPIONSH.IP in Austria: July 10-22, 2000 WORLD SPEED GLIDING CHAMPIONSHIP in Greece: July 28--Aug. 8, 2000 PANAMER!C:/\N CHAMPIONSHIP in USA: August 26-September 2, 2000 (to be confirmed)

PA RAG !JD IN(; PWC: BRA7.IL, Govenador Valadares: March 12-18, 2000 PWC SPAIN, Granada: June 18-24, 2000 PWC PORTUGAL, Serra da Larouco: July J G.. 22, 2000 FUROPEAN CHAMPIONSHIP in Germany (Garmisch): July 27-August 13, 2000 WORLD ACCURACY CHAMPIONSHIPS in England: August 12- l 8, 2000 PWC FRANCE, Mieussy: August 20-26, 2000 PWC FRANCE, Chamonix: September 3-9, 2000 II

Serial Class

Much of the discussion of paragliding centered around safety. To that end the Serial Class is being promoted. The cur· rcnr definition proposed for the Serial Class is: A glider is qualified for Serial Class if it meets DHV 2-3 or AJiNOR Performance standards. The Serial Class is further promoted by declaring two disti net champions, one for the Serial Class and one for Open Class. Team sizes and scoring will be all(mcd by the chart. There will also be a female champion crowned in each class providing that the minimum requirement of eight pilots from four countries is satisfied as stated in Section (CIVL competition rules). lt was further noted 1h11: a pilot wishing

Team by Organizet) 3 4

Male

Female

3 4

2 2 2 2

6 7 8

2 2

Number of Scoring Pilots of each Subclass (Serial or

3 3 4

Hi\NC CUDINC

ATOS

Pre-American ........................ ,st

A·l·R Distributed by Altair

Altair 12379 South 265 West, Draper, Utah 84020 (801) 523-9544 Fax 523-9688 altair@micron .net ?RED""TOR

Saturn

ATOS

~L. ~ J

·~

,__;

s :~

good example of this was Pagcn's article on how a sidcslip creates roll forces during a lockout (March 1997 Hang Gliding). Also, our sport is growing to include rigid wing aircraft, some of which have frill three-axis controls. Hang pilots transitioning to any type of three--axis aircraft will he greatly aided if rhey start with a clear and accurate understanding of turns and sideslips in hang gliders. With these points in mind I would like to share a new perspective on hang glider turns. Since I'm challenging some widely held notions, ['11 do my best to explain my ideas as completely as possible. So bear with me first a bit of d1eory and then we'll get into the air for some hands .. on experiments! What is a sideslip, and how can it be detected? A sideslip occurs when the nose of a glider is skewed toward the high side of a turn instead of being directly aligned with the flight path and airflow. This means that the glider is "feeling" a spanwise component in the airflow, from the low wingtip toward the high wingtip. This crosswise air .. Jlow over the aircraft surfaces increases drag and creates a spanwise aerodynamic force, with a large centrifugal component (toward the outside of the turn) that slows the turn rate. The slipping airflow also makes the wing as a whole less efficient, and interacts with sweep or dihedral to create a roll torque toward the high wingtip. A skid is the opposite of a slip, with the nose angled toward the low side of the turn, and an airflow component toward the low wingtip. A skid generates a centripetal (toward the inside of the turn) aerodynamic force that increases the turn rate, but is much less efficient than simply increasing the bank angle. Sideslips or skids can be easily observed with a yaw string (telltale) mounted in front ofthc pilot 011 the aircrafr celltcrline. In the flights which I'll describe later, l mounted a yaw string on a dowel project-'LJH..1.;,n.ul'A.l

hy Steve Seibel

As hang glider pilots we have the privilege off61ing uniquely elegant, simple and forgiving aircraft that can be controlled safely with a mini-mum

~r technical knowledge ,and lots of hands-on training and experi-

ence. f{owever, at times there are benefits to having a more complete understanding offlight dynamics.

The primary "instrument/' used in these experiments: slip-skid bubbles and ti yaw tales on the nose wires work too but are harder to see in.flight. ing forward from the basetuhe. The aerodynamic 1-i:)rces generated by a slip or skid can be observed with a sl ip--skid ball (as used in "conventional" aircraft) or bubble (like a carpenter's level). l n a slip, a ball falls toward the low side of the turn and a bubble moves toward rbe high side. ln a

A TURN?

cars, boats, gliders, jcr fighters and planets orbiting the sun all turn for the reason they are experiencing a centripetal which means a force acting the center of the circle of the tum. fo aircraft:, the most efficient way to create force is by banking the wings to tilt the lift vector sideways. The actual rotation of aircraft in space is a secondary (but important) factor that keeps the nose aligned the flight path and pointing straight into the airflow for dean aerodynamics so rhe can continue tQ generate lift with a minimum of drag. At steep bank angles is a significant rotation in the pitch as well as the obvious yaw rotation. FrnRLJARY 2000

skid, these movements arc reversed. When the aircraft is pointing straight into the airflow, the ball or bubble will remain centered regardless of the C-load being pulled. This important point is a stumbling block in nearly all existing descriptions of hang glider turns, which generally state that a slip is caused by a lack oflift or by "insufflcicnr centrifugal force" during the turn. ln theory, a hanging pilot will behave like the slip-skid ball and fall toward the low side of a slipping turn. In practice this cannot easily be observed in !light because it simply creates a small change in the roll-axis bar pressure transmitted to the pilot. A hanging pilot docs not feel slip and skid forces in the same direct and obvious way as docs a pilot in a fixed chair.

Out to spear some p,1ragliders? My glider with a "bowsprit" probe which 1 used to loo/, at "rlirflow curva-ture. "For afewflz;~hts the glider sported a yawstring on thi, "bowsprit" and another rm the basetuhe prohe, and a third at the retlr ofthe keel, rdong with r1, rearview mirror on a doumtuhe to view the latter. Other pilots were highly duhious of the "Prohemohile'!

As bang pilots we usually "coorcli narc" our turns in pitch by letting out the bar as

we roll into the turn. This increases the angle of attack, which in turn increases the G-loacl (lifr vector) as required hy the steeper bank angle. lf we choose not to let out the bar as we roll into a turn, then we find ourselves in a hanked attimde while pulling only one G. Now several things happen. The turn rate is sluggish because the horizontal component of the G--load (lift vector) is less rhen we normally have at that bank angle. Also, the vertical component of the G-load (lifr vector) no longer supports the aircrafr weight, so the glider "falls," pitching and yawing down as the flight path curves earthward and the glider accelerates until the rising airspeed has crc-atcd an adequate rise in the G-loading (lifr vector). At this point the airspeed stabilizes at the new, higher speed, and we arc again in a steady, constant -speed turn. When rolling into very steep turns we always sec this speed increase, because even if we begin the maneuver well pulled in, we nm our of control bar travel before we arc able to completely "coordinate" the turn in rhc pitch axis. All of the s;:imc dynamics also take place when we pull in the bar, decreasing the angle of attack and C-loading, while holding a steady bank angle.

We usually assume that this airspeed increase and downward "falling" motion involve a sidcslip. We believe that the gl ider is sliding sideways toward the low wingtip, and that the pilot is falling toward the low side of the glider, until the G-forccs build and equilibrium is restored. These idc;:is are nearly universal in rhc everyday visualizations of hang pilots (although see page 26 of Jim Zcisct's article in September 1999 Hang Glidiny: for a suggestion that a pitch-up motion can also cause sideslip). These ideas also arc widely supported in the training literature. (For example, see Pagcn's Hang Gliding Tntining Manual pp. 128-129, 139,141,358 and PerfrJrmance Flying pp. 34, 45, 47 ;md 53, as well as the lockout article mentioned earlier.) These arc all generally excellent resources, but as I've already hinted I've found their explanations on this particular point to be less then convincing. I've been curious about turns and sidcslips almost from day one of my hang training, so last season J flew with a yaw string and slip-skid bubble to take a look at the yaw characteristics of my glider. I found no detectable relationship ar all between pitch input and sidcslip, even during exaggerated maneuvers such as a spiral dive entry or a strong push--out while turn-

avoided using the term "centrifogal ut1.less_I mean a real at:rodynamic I don't tulk about "apparem" centrifugal forces generated by the curving flight as this tennin<>logycan quickly become vtry confusing and adds no new informa-, A turn is a kind of acceleration which depends upon an Jmbal~nce 9fforces, so cloud the picture by adding counterbalancing "apparent" forces?

ing. J saw some sidcslip whenever I was rolling into a turn, regardless of the pitch input I used, with higher roll rates creating larger slip angles. Some skid was seen while rolling out of turns. When the bank angle was held constant, my Spectrum 144 showed only a slight sidcslip in the yaw string, regardless of airspeed and regardless of' any pitch control input. All of these characteristics arc identical to what [ observed in similar experiments in sailplanes and airplanes, flying with my feet off the rudders. (These aircrafr could be unloaded all the way to weightlessness or negative G's, all without producing a slip.) In the hang glider the timing of the slip (and skid) in relation to the roll input and the roll response suggests that it is primarily caused hy the rotational inertia of the glider in the yaw zixis as the rum rate changes, rather than by adverse yaw from difforential airfoil shapes which dominates in "conventional" designs. ln other words, as the bank angle changes, the glider's yaw rotation rate lags behind the changing turn rare, and this creates a slip or skid until the glider's yaw stability (the "weathervane" effect) overcomes the gl icler's rotational inertia hy increasing the yaw rotation rate and bringing the nose back into the airflow. The best way to understand the reasons for these dynamics is to think again about what happens when a pilot pulls in the bar while holding a constant bank angle. The decreased angle of attack and G-loading create both a decrease in the turn rate and a downward acceleration. Taken alone, the decrease in turn rate would create a skid as the glider would tend to continue irs origi-nal rare of yaw rotation, and the downward acceleration would create a slip until the glider yawed down into the new direction of airflow. But taken together these effects cancel and no change in the yaw rotation rate is required by the change in G-loading, so we sec no immediate tendency to slip or skid. (Actually, to be complete we must also consider the cvcnrnal airspeed change thar follows the pitch inpur: When the glider comes to a new equilibrium, i1 has a higher airspeed and therefore a slightly lower tum rate, so there was in fact a slight skid as the yaw rotation rate changed.) fn contrast, roll input does require an immediate change in the yaw rotation rate, and so we see a marked slip or skid until rhc glider's rotational inertia is overcome. i-lANC CLJDINC

So, how do we undcrsrand all this in light of' the standard ideas on hang glider turns? When a pilot rolls strongly into ;1 turn without lcrting out the bar, pulling only one G, the changing bank angle sirnultancously drives both a slip, and a dive with increasing airspeed. If the pilot pulls in the bar while rolling, the same slip will occur hut the initial C-loading will be even lower and the dive will be steeper. Both the sidcslip and the high airspeed acr to increase the drag and steepen the glide angle. J\r the same time, the slip, the decreased G-loading and the high airspeed all act in concert ro slow the turn rare. Ir's clear why this maneuver·- whatever we call it is a good way to descend and a poor way to turn. However, pilors should also be aware that a strong roll input will cause the same slip, and its associarcd drag penalty, even when rhc glider is kept "coordinated" in the pitch axis with the appropriate C-load fi>r the bank angle and no increase in airspeed. Conversely, in a rhrccaxis aircrafr we could easily use the rudder ro avoid all sidcslip bur we would srill sec the same imcrplay between C-loading and airspeed. We can now understand the real reason behind the series of reversing turns pro· posed by Pagcn to escape stro11g lifr near cloud base (PerjrJrmance J,tying, page 31): The conti11ual change in bank angle creates a series of skids and slips as the glider rolls out of one turn and into the next. Just how effective is this reversing-mm maneuver, as opposed to a susraincd, consranr.. bank (non-slipping) corkscrew dive? Drag is the key to a steep descent angle. In a hang glider slip WC aren't /circing a fuselage and tail sideways through rhe air, so how much spanwisc or centrifugal force, and accompanying drag load, arc we really creating? The spanwisc force can be calculated from the ball or bubble displacement, aircraft weight and bank angle. I've made some very rough in-flight comparisons between my Spectrum I !iii (without any winglcts or tail) and a Schweizer 2-22 sailplane (which is an old design with a slab-sided fosclagc) and was surprised to sec that the hang glid .. er appeared to generate onc.. third or more of the side force as would the sailplane at the same slip angle and airspeed. J\lso, regardless of the magnitude these side loads, the wing is simply less efficient in the slipping airflow so illduccd drag is increased. Of course, a high-speed, steeply banked, high-C, sustained (non slipping)

fEllRUiWY 20()()

BALANCING YAWAND

STABILITY

'\V711e. n .an aircraft dips a wing in tu..rbulenc.·e,. it be.gins to tum. The.rotatiom.11. inertia W of the aircraft creates a slip as the yaw rotation rate lags behind the turn rate. While the aircraft is slipping, the airflow interacts with sweep or dihedral and tends to rnll the aircraft back to wings-level. However, if the aircraft has excessive yaw stability it

will quickly "weathervane" into a steady or tightening tum before it can roll back to level flight. On the other hand, with too little yaw stability the aircraft will slip excessively when the pilot begins an deliberate turn. As the glider slips, it resists the pilot's intefr· tions in both the yaw and roll axes, corkscrew turn is also a high-drag maneuver. I haven't done any in-flight comparisons between the two rnaneuvct~, so I'll refrain from giving advice on which to use. I've already mentioned that duri11g ,1 suscaincd, constant-banked turn in my Spectrum 1/iii at any speed or bank angle, the yaw stri11g blew slightly toward the out.. side of rhc turn. In the same steady turns, the slip-skid bubble was centered. Since the yaw srring gave an indication of turn direction (at least when the glider was not rolling), it would be a helpful aid fi)r emcr· gcncy cloud flying in my glider. In contrast, I could only deduce roll direction and not rurn direction from a slip-skid bubble or ball (or a floating ball compass which is essemially the same thing, apart from its directional function which is prone to errors while the glider is banked.) This dis .. crepancy between the yaw srring and rhc slip-skid bubble in a steady turn in my glider was likely due to a phenomenon called airflow curvature. Briefly, the combined rotation and translation of the glider make the airflow (relative wind) follow the arc of the turn, curving slighrly outward across the nose of the glider where the yaw string was located and slightly inward over the rear portions, while still being aligned with the keel of the glider in au overall sense. Other gliders may well show slightly more sidcslip in susraincd turns, as differential wingtip drag may yaw the glider as a whole slightly toward the outside of the turn. This should be visible in a slip-skid ball or bubble. Thar's all! l hope that many readers will find one or two tidbits in this article to apply to their own flying or teaching. T<i bring rhis complex discussion to a poinr, the hottom line is that our pitch coordination inpur relates to airspeed conrrol and G-loading and is not the same as rhrcc .. axis yaw coordiJJarioJJ and the prevention of sidcslip. Our thinking will be simpler as well as more accurate ifwc avoid "explaining" our pitch inpm in terms of sidcslip and yaw coordination.

!;or a more complete discussion of the physics of turning flight and sides] ip, and for more on the in-flight observations, find my much longer article ou our club websirc at h1tp://danimal.ats.orsr.eclu/ VallcyVillc.html, or write or e-mail me for a copy at SW 5th, Apt. D, Corvallis, OR 97333, scibcl999(tilhotmail.com.

JI bout the author: Steve Seibel hang glides in Oregon'.1· Willamette Vtt!ley. His ad1Jenturcs started in high school, flying sailplrmes with the outragwusly affr1rd,1ble Wichita and Kans?ls Soriring Jlssociations. /-le also h11S sorne time in ,tirplrmes and.flies radio-controlled gliders. 1111

ut for many soaring pilots Hawaii isn't the first destination of choice when planning a flying vacation. Herc arc a fow reasons why perhaps it should be. As an expatriate Australian, I came to Hawaii eight years ago, and have lived on three of the most populated islands in this eight-island chain. l'vc flown paraglidcrs and sailplanes at most of the soarablc sites and watched the organization here grow from handfr1ls of renegade pilots flying sites with dubious legality, to well-organized groups at registered and insured club sites. (Don't in for that all sites in Hawaii arc legal; several still arc not, so you might want to check first.) In general, the weather, and subsequent soaring conditions in Hawaii, are strongly influenced by the ubiquitous northeasterly trade winds. These winds arc commonly generated in equatorial regions as the earth's rotation acts upon various pressure systems (i.e., Coriolis effrct). These trade winds arc consistent year round, but not guaranteed, and other wind directions arc occasionally possible (typically sol!thwcstcrly, or Kona winds). 'The trades feature so promincudy in fiawaiian lifo that the islands arc often divided conceptually into windward and leeward sides. This is because not only docs the wind influence weather, temperature, and, of course soaring conditions, but also the very geography of the islands. As the trade winds reach the islands they arc deflected upward by various mountain ridges, and deposit their moisture in the form of rain. Subscqncmly, the windward sides of the islands tend to be wetter, cooler, windier and enshrollded in tropical forests. Often you'll find that erosion has shaped the mountain ridges into prccipirous cliff, and gullies. The leeward sides are usually drier, more barren, with more gently sloping hills rather than cliffs (this is why you'll find most of the resorts clustered here). Just as the trade winds divide the islands into two diffc.Ting sides, they also bifrircatc the soaring sites into distinct dichotomies. Almost universally, ridge soaring occurs on the windward sides of the islands from shear cliffs, while thermal flying occurs from gentler slopes on the leeward sides. I'm often asked when the best time of year for flying in Hawaii is. Since flying conditions here are excellent year round, but not all islands have sites permitting all varieties of soaring, a more pertinent ques-

Mention Flawaii to many people and it's a pretty safe bet that tropical rainforests, sandy beaches and balmy breezes feature prominently in their reveries. But 14, 000-foot mountains towering above acres of clearedpastoral land, and J,600fvot mountain ridges extending miles down the coasts tire as much a part ofHczwaii as the swaying palm trees.

rion concerns which island 10 stay on. You need to consider this carefully, as the type and quality of flying you do on Hawaii can be largely determined by the island you stay on,

'fo assist you in making this decision J'll t:ry ro provide au island-by-island outline of the sites, and types of flying available in Hawaii. Please don't think of this as a substit:ute for contacting the local pilots; they have more detailed information essential to your safety, and besides, you'll have a much better visit if you get to know the locals.

Oahu is the most populated, highly developed and well known of the Hawaiian Islands. lfyou like night life, shopping and excitement, then this is the island for you. Bur remember the tradcoffs: crowds, traffic and noise. Almost a million people on a rcl-ativcly small island make for some serious congestion in parts, but it's no worse than many big cities and you can escape many of the crowds by staying away from the south side of the island (from Diamond Head to Ewa Beach), In general, flying here is from steep, high, coastal cliffs in trade-wind conditions, mostly suitable:: fr)r highly experienced hang glider pilots. Paragliding is done here (and the only sailplane operation in Hawaii is here), but this is not the island of choice for the inexperienced or those seeking thermal flying. 'The main flying sites are at Maka-

putu, Lanikai, Dillingham Airfield at Mokulcia, and Nanakuli, All arc coastal ridges. Makapn'u is quite famous and equally spectacular, ft's a windward-facing site (eastern side) with the launch for hang gliders from one of two, well-constructed ramps. The ramps front a 1,400-foot vertical cliff You can drive right up to the launch, bm rhe road is on state property and blocked by a gate. The local pilots have permission to use the road and the key to the gate, so contact them first. This is definitely not a sire for the fainthearted, but on a good clay you can fly clown the entire windward side of the island (over 30 miles) along the Koolau Range. With lush foliage under you, green mountains and waterfalls to the left, and beamiful beaches and rccfa to the right, it truly is an awesome site. In season you might even spot a whale or two! The launch for paragliders is forther south on the same ridge. It is reached by w,1lking up abou1- 15 minutes from the main road just bcfc)l'e you round the turn to Makaputu bcacb. 'There's no ramp here but there is a clear area to lay your wing out. It's also a cliff launch so choose your conditions carefully. Since the trades can build unpredictably in the mornings and early afternoons, light trade evenings with the wind straight in are best. You really don't want to be blown over the back here. Further north the Koolau Range moves inland a little, and closer to the ocean is 1-IANC CLJDINC

Flying down the flank ofHaleakala.

another, smaller site at Lanikai near Kailua. Here you'll find the 600-fooc Ka'iwa ridge in the Keolu hills. It's a 20-minuce hike up a steep ridge co the launches near two old cannon mounts, so you won't see any hang gliders here. Flying at Lanikai is not officially sanctioned, but nobody's going co stop you either. There are two launches, again fronting a near-vertical cliff. I'd recorrunend the more shallow launch at the southern end; you'll have room co move. Several spines run out from the ridge with che largest at the far southern end, so it's best co fly here in light trade winds with a northerly component. A serious rocor is generated by any winds with a hint of south, so be careful. A further precaution is the houses out front. These have co be overflown to reach the narrow LZ at the beach. If the afrernoon trades wane drastically while you're flying and you drop coo low co reach the beach, you might have co land in an old lady's back yard right in her prize tree. She migh c think you're a prowler and call the police. They might come and handcuff you before finally looking up into the tree, seeing your glider, and letting you off with a warning. I'm just guessing chis could happen co someone. It didn't happen co me - honest! At Mokuleia, on Oahu's north shore, there is a good ridge chat runs behind Dillingham airfield. Although it's on the north shore, it faces in the general direction of the trade winds, but not fully. The wind can be off as much as 30 degrees and remain soarable, however, si nce the ridge isn't completely smooch, it can generate strong turbulence in places. I've only flown sailplanes here (the only operation in Hawaii) and have been thankful, on more than one occasion, co be flying with a high wing loading. Typically, sailplanes are cowed co 1,000 feet MSL over the ridge and dropped off co soar several miles up and down the northwest shore. The sailplane operation offers lessons, and joy

flights at a reasonable price. There's also skydiving furrhcr up the airstrip, biplane joy flights and the occasional ultralight, so it's well worth a visit. The launch for paragliders (and the occasional, enthusiastic hang glider pilot) used robe a hike up the ridge behind the hangars, but I've been told a towing operation for fc)ot-launched craft is now underway. The final site worth mentioning is on Oahu's leeward side at Nanakuli. This I ,000-foot-plus ridge typically takes more infrequent northwesterly winds to soar, however, on afrernoons with light trades it cm experience onshore breezes. 'frade winds of any strength usually blow right over rhe back. If you happen to arrive on Oahu during a week of Kon a winds, this may be the only place you can fly. The hike to launch is up a steep ridge about 20 minutes. This site hasn't been used for very long or with any consistency, and f've never flown here myself, but l'm told it can be quite good, even generating thermals (although the ridge is not for inland). There are several clear landing areas with the school soccer field most commonly used. This site isn't officially sanctioned but, again, nobody's going ro stop you. You might even get a friendly wave from the locals. MAUI Maui is the second largest, and third most densely populated island in Hawaii. It's not as crowded as Oahu bm doesn't lack for any of the modern conveniences, with several good shopping malls and movie theaters (though some feel the night life lags a little). The Hawaiians have a saying, "Maui no ka oi," meaning Maui is best. While this may be debatable when talking in general, it's certainly true when referring to thermal soaring in Ilawaii. In general rhe soaring on Maui is from inland, thermal sites off gently sloped, grassy launches at organized club sites. It should definitely be the first choice frlr beginners or the inexperienced, but also offers cross-country potcmial for the more adventurous. l moved to Maui primarily to Oy my Cage paraglider and have found the flying here consistenrly excellrnt. The main flying sites arc on rhc leeward slopes of Haleakala (Maui's 10,000-foot monolith), on the leeward side of the west Maui mountains in Lahaina, and on the nearby island of Lanai (easily reached by FrnRUARY 2000

water taxi). · f'hc best coastal ridge sites, unfortunately, have been closed. Maui is frequently referred to as the Valley Isle. This is due to the wide, flat valley between the massive mountain of Haleakala to the east and the smaller mount:ains to the wesr. The enormous bulk of Haleakala (house of the sun god) provides an effective barrier to the strong trades, while the valley traps the sun's heat ro create prevailing anabatic winds up the mountain's west face. The calm zone on this lee side extends from Kula to the north to the beach at Wailca in the sonth. This provides an extensive soaring zone over cleared pastoral land and wooded areas. Since the trades appro;ich from the northeast, and Haleakala runs north ro south, a wind shear line is generated at the northern edge of die calm zone which needs to be respected. The launch at the northern end above Kula is at (J,000 feet right beside the road to the summit and hang glider pilots frequently use this launch. It's acceptable for paraglider pilots, however, you'll have more chance of clearing the tree line forther clown the mountain if you walk up the hill behind the roadside launch. Ir takes about 20 minutes and will give you an extra 300 foet of altitude. '[1·ades with a strong northerly component can push the shear line over these launches, so it's best to check the wind direction further north before launching. Further somh on the lee side of Haleakala is the flight park ar Poliploli. It's virtually right in the middle of the western side so it's protected from even the strongest trades. l .;umchcs for beginners srarr on the cleared slopes at 3,000 leer with ;in upper launch, easily reached via the road, at 6,500 feet. Cross-country flights in a variety of directions arc possible from this launch with flights all the way to the south-

Makena Beach, Mitui.

crn beaches possible on good days. The typical flight, however, lasts about 20 minutes from the 6,500-foot launch to the 3,000-foor l.Z. A precaution concerning all these launches at lower Haleakafa is rhc clouds. As the valley hears up, providing the anabatic wind and thermals for launching, it also provides the motive force for generating clouds. These clouds can move in rapidly and completely obscure the moun-· tain down to 3,000 feel. Typically, you'll need to launch around 8:30 AM to 10:00 in the summer and up to 11 :00 in winter, although this can vary considerably. The summit launch ar I 0,000 foct is the most spectacular site on Maui. The view is breathtaking nnd flights to rhe beach ;ire relatively easy for paraglidcrs and hang gliders. 'T'hc site is reached by continuing up the road from the lower launch for about one hour. You can drive right Lo the launch by continuing on through rhc national park. The summit is not protected from the trades, and paragliders typically require very light trade, or southerly wind days rhar allow the anabatic winds to push all rhc way to rhe summit for a launch from the west side (into the valley). Flights from the

back, or cast slope, are possible, even all the way to the beautiful town of Hana. Typically, however, pilots make the jump back over to the western side by flying through a gap further sonth at Kaupo. You should be very experienced, well informed and prepared for a long, high-altitude hike out of unfamiliar and isolated territory (as rhc cosr of not making the L7.'s), before even considering flying the back side. The final site worth mentioning is behind the rown of I.ahaina on the southern side of the west Maui mountains. '] 'his is another lee--side site. The mountains are not as high as Haleakala and the site is not as well protected from strong trades, bur it

is quite consistent. T'his sire is about a mile inland facing the ocean, and generates strong thermals in rhe afternoons. It can be flown more consistently at this rime as clouds don't often form here. The local school has created a large "L" in the mountain which conveniently marks rhe launch. Unless one of the local pilots takes you up in his trnck, the launch is ahout a two-hour hike up a steep hill in 80 degree temperatures, so take some water. The flying here is not officially sanctioned but six to I 0 paraglider pilots fly here regularly without diffieul ty.

HAWAII

Dedicated to Francis Over 500 pages by more them 100 contributors Illustrations, Photographs, and much more... Editors: Jim (Sky Dog) Palmieri & Maggie Palmieri Illustrator/Cartoonist: Mike Vorhis

Hawaii is locally reforrcd to as the Big Island to differentiate it from the state of the same name, and because it's bigger than all the other islands combined. ft has the second-largest population but very low population density due to its size. Ir is less developed and more quiet than Maui, and rhc night lifo definitely lags, but anyone who finds this beautiful island ho ring needs serious help. Ir's also the most recently formed island, wirh the active volcano at Kilauea still adding material, somewhat of a work in progress. In gern;ral this island has enormous unrealized potential for all types of soaring, with good sites at every turn. Unfortunately, these sites arc almost universally on private property surrounded with a plethora of no-trespassing signs. Since the number of pilots here is small and they are somewhat disorganized, permission to fly these sites has not been forthcoming. Consequently, "bandiro" is a rerm with which rnost Big Island pilots arc well familiar. There are launches from the 14,000-foot mountains of Mauna I ,oa and Mauna Kea, but you'll need a four--wheel drive and local help (flight safaris from these mountains arc occasionally advertised in various magazines). Recently a sire has been pioneered at Kcalakekua Bay about a 20-rninutc drive sourb of Kailua Kona. [ never had a chance to fly here when living on the Big [sland, but dreamed about it frequently. There's an 800-foot ridge that runs at right angle 10 the ocean extending well inland. ft has good thermal potential and is completely

Continued on page 56:

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t does n't get much better than that. But it continually does . Over and over again, yesterday's superlatives are eclipsed by today's experiences. That's even more incredible! This column will consist of historical and contemporary anecdotes . To be told, these old and new stories require the customary disclaimer: Any resemblance to persons living or dead is purely on purpose, er, accidental . To protect the innocent along with the guilty I will change the names. Our central character we will call Eagle. He will start out as Young Eagle and end up as Old Bald Eagle. A current example follows. At the last Bored meetings in Colorado Springs OBE witnessed another amazing changing of the guard. He marveled at the flexibility required by an Executive Director (Fiscal Goodman) to work with such a bevy of bosses with such varying backgrounds and agendas. What a challenge. Eh, kudos go his way. There was consternation in the ranks. The membership fee increase (needed to replace funds spent fighting the waiver suit) rankled many, and the clash of Florida's titans over competition dates tried the patients present. As the meeting wound down one of the kings stood to speak. I'll call him Giant Zoarsite. GZ aired the watchdog laundry, expressing the disgruntles many felt and warning of the dangers inherent in Executive Committee decisions made without full Board approval. Once the loud silence subsided, a crown prince arose, Bilbee Blublood. He stood tall and spoke his heart. He agreed that there had been some comm unication errors. He too had been upset by some of the proceedings, but he cautioned the Directors about taking ill will back to their Regions. He reminded us that we were there because we loved the an. Harboring negativity would only cause sink. BB urged us to support the executive decisions as they were acting in our best interest. His words were a healing balm that spread like warm honey on crusty toast. We left in a sweet confection of warm, nsmg emonons. Most went home. Not OBE. Coming from the flatlands as he had, he couldn't leave without a shot at flyi ng the mountains. GZ, the king of green, bless his heart, offered a ride and arranged for a glider (Szoar Dawg's Extra Heavy). As

FEB RUARY 2000

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High Perspective

As I have done so often, I pinch myself when I think how lucky I am to have taught hang gliding fo r 30 years. I could have been stuck at a desk instead of teaching flying. What a joy to introduce so many to one of the ultimate experiences on the physical p lane. Recently a young oriental lady cooed, "I can die now!" during a tandem discovery flight with 200-kilometer vistas in buoyant air.

happenstance would have it, day two was magic. Possibly OBE paid some dues hang driving on day one and befriending Villa Grove. Perhaps that allowed the flex wing to gain the peaks while the rigids parked on the grass. The exact opposite had occurred the day previous. These mountains are truly regal; in fact, one of them is called Princeton. Just being there is breathtaking. A hint of white streaks one queen mother's gray mane, her shoulders robed in green velvet, her court similarly attired. At their feet, fawning valleys lay wide for the buffalo to graze and for us to land. To soar on a marginal day is always special. To get low and get up again is a bonus. But to ride the thin air amid such majesty, to share a boomer with a couple of golden eagles as minutes drift into hours and afternoon settles into sunset is the stuff of dreams come true. May it happen to

you. The eagles, by the way, entered the thermal after OBE and stayed 500 feet below as ifhe had marked it for them for a change. Setting up to land was too easy. Slightly uphill, wide open, light air, a little speed, ease it out and WHACK! How humbling, but luckily so , as Szoar Dawg ambled over, camera in hand. His face was etched with Cherokee pain and pride, his ponytail bobbed. He smiled, "Lucky you beaked. If you hadn't I was going to kick you in the rear." OBE laughed at SD's handle on humility. SD's instincts wouldn't allow overconfidence or complacency a comfy corner in which to grow. Flying can make us feel like gods, but if we believe it, look out! A swift kick may be waiting in the wings. OBE remembers a lesson from 15 ,000 flights ago. It was Young Eagle's ROTP primary

flight training on Chipmunks with the Canadian Air Force in Cenuailia, Ontario in 1962. Imagine this scene. Our protagonist is cocky. He's the first of his group to solo. He's been chosen cadet commander. It doesn't seem to m atter what he does, the CO finds no fault. One evening YE finds occasion to overnight in Grand Bend, a particularly wild summer haunt of the young and restless. Sneaking back to the air base shortly before reveille, he hops the fence. He is unshaven, his uniform is rumbled and his shoes are scuffed. He stands bleary-eyed before his commander. The good Group Captain, with his pink-eyed Weimaraner at his heel remarks, as if imbued with the dog's rosy-hued view, "Good turnout son, good turnout. " Others are chastised for a speck of lint. YE can do no wrong. Tales of YE's escapades and overconfi-

dence are becoming epic. One morning our would-be hero got a rude awakening. Expecting only ground detail, he'd been on another bender in "the Bend. " His flying instructor, FL Malone, changed the flight plan and took him up for a little "aerobatics demonstration. " Within 15 minutes of hammerhead stalls, spins and spiral dives, the remains of the previous night's revelry coated the inside of the cockpit. It reminded YE of the lumpy residue that coated the walls and ceiling after a pressure cooker blew at the local bowling alley. However, this had a different smell than chicken fricassee. Humility can be learned in many ways, but cleaning human heaves from Plexiglas in the heat of a clear July midday while hung over is an effective one. Another humbling occurred when our young, aspiring Billy Bishop turned off his radio in order to fully focus on some of the Bend's semi-secret scenery. Certain young ladies are known to sunbathe au nature!. Invisible to the surface passers-by, they are wide open to an intrepid aviator. After one such sortie the incipient ace headed home only to hear this reply to his call to Centralia Tower: "Pogo Zero Five Niner expedite approach runway 240, all solo aircraft were recalled an hour ago due to excessive winds." This sounded scary. Maintaining communication is a good rule, he realized . Maybe other pain-in-theburr procedures made some sense beyond his knowledge and experience as well. An eerie sight awaited YE. Instead of the normal buzz of a circuit full of training aircraft, the sky was empty. Crash trucks were scrambling to the runway.

Though tense, the landing was perfect - a three-pointer. Then as he relaxed the stick back to his stomach, the right wing rose, jolted by a sudden gust of wind. He quickly countered, slamming full right stick and rudder. The stable Chipmunk careened off the runway onto the apron, narrowly missing a large landing light, and rolled to a stop. Within moments there appeared on the wing, glaring through the half-open canopy, the realization of every cadet's nightmare - the menacing visage of a three-striper. His questions were quick and concise. "Where the hell were yo u? " "Doing touch and goes at Grand Bend, Sir. " "Why did you not hear the returnto-base transmissions?" "I was listening to the heavies flying into Detroit, Sir." "Report to my office at fourteen hundred hours ." "Yes Sir! " Ignorance and bliss cannot share the same pillow in aviation without risking . . senous scams. I'd like to end with one of Swami Beyondananda's fun guidelines to Nirvana, this one relating to Truth, courtesy of Reverend Shepley: "As we go through life thinking great thoughts, thought particles tend to get caught between our ears, causing a condition called truth decay. Be sure to use mental floss twice a day. When you're tempted to practice tantrwn yoga, remember what we teach in Swami's Absurditiveness Training: 'Don't gee even, get awed!' " Lift is everywhere you find ir. Keep it up. •

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.t .BRAUNIGER FASZ INATION DES FLIEGENS

nt Reports

by lJSflGA Accident Review

Chairman Bill Bryden ur sport suffered a tragic fatality the evening of December 11 . Debbie Young, age /i3, an enthusiastic new novice-level pilot died from injuries suffered in a hang gliding crash. Deb successfully launched a beginner glider from a ground .. Jaunch cart being towed with a static-line tow system. At approximately 125 feet altitude (estimates by observers ranged from less than l 00 up to 150 feet), her glider started turning relative to the towline. Observers did not note corrective action by the pilot. The glider turned enough that the row bridle strongly contacted the flying wires and/or the pilot strongly contacted the control frame of the glider. The resulting lateral force on the control frarne pulled the glider into an aggressive lockout. The glider rolled over extremely quickly and dove into the ground in a matter of only several seconds. An instructor mentoring Deb during her early solo tows radioed release instructions and the tow was aborted, but it was observed that her hands appeared to not leave the control bar to effect release. 'fowline tension was controlled at 120130 pounds and the towline release's imegrated weak link did not break. (Nor should it have broken. Reference this column in the December, 1998 issue for a detailed discussion as to why it should not have been expected to break.) 'fhe rapidity of the lockout was absolutely stunning to rhosc observing rhe event. 'fhe glider went from being banked approximately 25 degrees and angled roughly 45 degrees to the rowline, to being roUed over and pointed down in less than two seconds. Tmpact occurred roughly two to three seconds after the rollover. This may sound like an unreasonably brief time, but remember that 10 mph equals 15 feet per second, and a glider diving straight down at only 30 mph would trav.. el 90 feet in two seconds. When a towline strongly contacts the front flying wires or the pilot's body is pulled into strong contact with the control frame or rear flying wires, a lateral,

sideways pulling force is applied to the control frame. 'This fr>rce very strongly causes the glider to bank and turn further away from the towline and will easily be much stronger than any weight shift rhe pilot may effect. Tbis is a lockout, aud releasing and terminating or reducing the tow force are the only means of escape al this poinr. This tragic accident vividly demon·· strated how rapidly a lockout can occur, and teaches the lesson that pilots must not be hesitant to release when their glider gets turned too much. Unfornmately, I can not effectively communicate how quickly and aggressively rhis may occur. Dennis Pagen informed me several years ago about an aerntow lockout that he experienced. One moment he was correct· ing a bit of alignment with the rug and the next momcm he was nearly upside down. Ile wns stunned at the rapidity. I have heard similar stories from two other acrotow pilots. Understanding how incredibly fast this can occur, we should question ,rncl rcex· amiuc the procedures and equipment utilized to aborr a tow. Many payout winches employ a pressure-dump valve to quickly drop pressure, hm some have to be crnnked down and most utilize a hook knife to sever a towline. Many, if not most, tcnsion-cont:rollcd, static-line tow systems require the vehicle to aggressively brake and rhen the driver to cut the line or back up as required. Many stationary, pay-in winch sysrems can drop tension somewhat quickly and others are rather pokcy at dumping tension. In addition, some do nor employ a quick mechanical system to sever the line, relying upon ,lll operator with a hook knife or ax to accomplish this emergency task. lf a lockout occurs and the glider rolls over, when the tow tensions arc reduced with the glider in this position it may pull out flying opposite the original row direction. lf the towline or bridle connect to the pilot or glider above the control bar, this will be wrapped clown and around rhe control bar or frame, and any residual line tension will pull in the bar, pitching rhe nose down. Fifteen to twenty pounds can "stuff" the bar aud dive the glider into the ground, hence the extreme impor· tance of dropping line tension to zero or

severing the line m the tow rig and the pilot releasing. horn the rime Deb's tow was noted as going bad, there was only about two to three seconds to completely terminate the tow and provide the glider with zero line tension, giving it a couple of seconds to pull om of the dive. Problems encountered at lower altitudes would permit even less rime for pilot and tow crew reaction. 'l'he implications of this establish some equipmem re(pirements that some tow rigs likely don't accommodate. l'rn 1101 leveling criticisms, l simply don't think the sport and industry folly understood or comprehended the rapidity with which these lockouts can occur, and hence these corresponding needs. I didn't. Payout winches absolutely must employ a tension-dump valve. A guillotine or other automatic line cutter to sever the line is also required. A quickly rotat· ing or free-spooling winch drum can spin off extra line resulting in a jumble and snarl. You likely don't have time to snatch a hook knife, then grab and cut a line in two seconds or less. With static.. line tow systems the line tension monitor at the vehicle must have a quick-release that the driver can actu:ite in a fraction of a second, cleanly releasing the line from the vehicle. Stationary pay-in winches (including scooter systems) must be able to stop and dump tension almost instantly. Inertia and hydraulics may preclude this, and as with a payout winch a line snarl can occur, thus likely making line cutters that can be activated very quickly mandatory. A second observation from this acci.denr is the occurrence of pilots freezing during a moment of panic. During tandern training, Deb had been taught how to correct glider and towline alignment during a row and had been instructed when ir was necessary to release. Her instmctor had sirnulated lockout scenarios, covertly hanking the glider while she was flying, and testing how she reacted and released. She performed this superbly. During her second solo tow she got a bit angled to the towline and demonstrated that she knew when and how lo release. Before each of her solo tows she was quizzed about what to do if the tow bridle touched the flying wires and was required

HANC CLIDINC

In 10 demonstrate rhe release action. Still, ir would seem that foar or panic overwhelmed her during this incident and she froze. This phenomenon has jammed foar into the hearts of' most instrnctors at some poim during their careers. Unfortunately, there is no way to really test a pilot for this tendency during training. Situations can be Cl'eared to incite a degree of panic in a student and some might freeze. But for those who don't, they know iris a training scenario, and in the back of their minds know the instructor is controlling things, prntecring their safoty. Remove this safoty net, during a real erncrgency and who even knows what a pilot might do experienced pilots have been seen to (i·cczc in an emergency. Knowing that all pilots, but especially new pilots, arc potential candidates for brain-lock, and considering the rapidity with which a lockout can occur, the 10w system and ground crew musr be c-1pablc and prepared Lo s;1ve a pilot as soon as possible should rhe tow go had. The equipment must be able to accommodate this and the crew must be trained to perform this. A third lesson from this event was highlighted during discussions wirh pilots several days later. Alier the crash, an insLructor sprimcd ro Deb's aid, arriving just rnomems later. He sliced rhc hang straps and harness and began CPR in sc1rcely more than a minute. 'lwo other observers present assisted until a ftrcfightcr arrived, and Lhis instructor continued the compressions for paramedics until she was transported to the trauma center. Anod1cr pilot summoned the ambulance with a cell phone, providing location and directions. It was commented by a few pilots that they were glad these particular people were present, because they would not have known what to do, or didn't have a cellular phone, or didn't recall the road name, etc. Pilots with first-aid training must be present each flying day, and there must he enough of them so thaL there arc always a fr:w around when everyone else is flying. This means that most folks in a club need to have first-aid and CPR Lraining. This is a good Lime or year to contact the Red Cross and schedule the training. CPR

FrrmUARY 2000

efforts sustained Deb till she arrived at the hospital where the trauma team battled for nearly an hour attempting to save her. 'fragically, she died, bur the CPR gave her a chance she never would have had other-· WISC.

A telephone, cell phone or radio capa·· blc of reliably reaching emergency services through a phone patch must be present whenever folks arc flying a site, and everyone must know where to find ir and how to use it. Everyone must either know by heart or be able to promptly access the address and specific dircctions to the accident site. Everyone must know where the club's first-aid kit is located. Your club docs have one doesn't it? This kit shouldn't he just a boo-boo kit, but have supplies for significant lifc:-thrcatcning ll1Jurics. This month's incident column was personally particularly troubling to write. I knew Deb. 1 was there. I saw her crash. Her husband saw the crash and we cried together at the hospital. During the thousands or tows I've made and probably tens of thousands I have witnessed, I had never seen a true, hardcore lockout, nothing close ro this. l am still srnnned by how fast it occurred. [ did not fully comprehend Dcnnis's lockout when he described it to me. I do now. These must be treated wi rh ;i great deal of respect. It is now clear to me rhat tow equipment must be capable of terminating a row, including severing or releasing the line almost instantly. Taking a few seconds as required with many systems, and previously considered adequate by much conventional wisdom, is now clearly too long. Pilots can freeze in a panic, and tow observers and proper equipment must be capable of assisting them out of a disaster as much as possible. Your flying community members must be prepared to quickly react to an accident and have the proper communications and first-aid equipment at rhc ready. I hate writing about fatal accidents and l usually agonize over rhcsc articles for hours and days, trying to identify rhc relevant lessons and ro say things with proper sensitivity bur enough objectivity roward lessons to be learned. Please spare me that and work aggressively to not lose a follow pilot this new year. Ill

ifi

HANG GLIDING ADVISORY Used hang should always be disassembled before first time and inspected carefolly for bent or dented downtubes, rnincd bushings, bem bolts (cspc-cially the heart bolt), re-used Nyloc nurs, loose thimbles, frayed or rusted cables, tangs with non-circular holes, and on flex wings, sails badly rorn or torn loose from their anchor points front and back on the keel and edges. lf in doubt, many hang gliding businesses be happy ro give an objective opinion on the condition of equipment you hring them to inspect, Buyers should select equipment that is appropriate for their skill level or rating. New pilots should seek professional i,mrnction from a lJSHGA C[,JzTlFIED INSTRUCTOR, FLEX WINGS

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School nse, one

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FUSION 150

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1 58 $850 OBO, (724) 8')8--:,219.

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

IJ Flex Wings IJ Emergency Parachutes IJ Parts & Accessories IJ Business & Employment IJ Miscellaneous IJ Paragliders IJ Videos Begin with ""'"""'·------------------ __ 19_

1J Towing

u Schools & Dealers IJ Ultralights O Rigid Wings

IJ Publications & Organizations IJWanted IJ Harnesses issue and run

consecutive issue(s). My "...l check, IJ money order is enclosed in the amount of$------·------------------------------··---NAME: _,, _______________ -----------------------------·------ADDRESS: ------------------·-----·--------------·---·---------·---------·-·------------------

Number of words: _________________ @$.50 Number of words: _____ ---- _______ @$·1.00

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M( lYF.S ( :SX6 (; rcen/whit,:, I 5 hours, like· new $2,900. (970) 20') 5900.

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ROCKFT l,FSFRVFS With large polyconical canopy $550. (30.1) J,f?-8995. 20 CORF PD/\ w/swivcl $375. 20 gore $199. Many more available. Raven Sky Sports (262) li738800, brad(,1lhangg\iding.com l l/\RNFSSES CJ\RllON l'llll'.R CC Large shell, new upgraded tail see1ion, very comforrabJe, super aerodynamic. CaJJ or email f'or price. (307) 7.l:l-7,620, kwirnbcrg(rhwyoming.com HJ\RNESS EXCHJ\NGF CHUTES ('J70) 64 <).3 I 'i, IHtp:1/gunnisonglidcrs.com/ Sizes & IIIC:I I ENFRC:Y POD J 11\RNFSSFS styles monthly, $300-400. C:C I OOO's $250. Cocoons each. LMFP pod, 5'9" $/iOO. l<neehangcrs & stirrups also available:. (262) 4Tl8800, hradGilhanggliding.rnrn

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trol bars, 160 hours $1,liOO. l'ly1cc /i()JO, new in J\pril $800. (208) 3/i2 .. 1350. MOYES XTR!\I.ITF I -- Fxccllent condition, I00 1 hours, fluorescent yellow I .F, hh1c & tmq11oise undcrsmf'acc $3,000 01\0. Call Erika (8181 5571219. MOYFS XTR/\1.ITF Ll7 Mylar sail, whirc/oranµ,c, good shape $1,500. (30'7) 85(,. 17.JO, csrarks(i\.vyoming.co1n

MOYES XTR!\J.ITE 137 Well kept, bluc/green/whire $ I ,500 OBO. (2Ci2) li})-8800, brad(,lh,rnggliding.com Novice/intermediate dou MOYES XT PRO l 65 blc smfoce, two available $1,600., $2,300. (262) li7.l · 8800, brad(tlhangglidi11g.rnm

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FEflRUJ\RY 2000

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WW RJ\M1\\R 158 ( ;rcc11 Team glider, good condition $800. (970) 209-5900.

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w/'<J<) tips, yellow, red flap.s,

good condition, a,\ seen in centerfold Nov. 98 l IC, cover Sqit 98 I IC, w/XC: hag, waterproof' hag & reg-

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Sec

program, located at rhe San Francisco Bay Area's beginner site foatnres: sloped "bunny hills," Wills Wing h1lcons of' all sizes and comfortable training harnesses! "FIRST FUCHT"l 5 minute video rour oC om beginner lesson program shows a student's skill progression $20 (shipping included), 1116 Wrigley Way, Milpitas C:A 9503'5 (nNtr Sr1n Jost). (408) 262-1055, fox (108) 262-1:388, n1issionC£llhang-g\iding.com www.h~1ng-gliding.com

Wills Wing, Moyes, Altair, l ligh Fncrgy, Ball, Flyrcc, Connections and m11ch more. Call (303) 67/il, Evergreen, Colorado Ainimcl-[(;0\101.com CONNFCT!('.Ul' MOUNTAIN WlNCS

Look under New York.

r:LORIDA

ad under Ccorgia.

ROCKFT ClTY All,Sl'ORTS -- The fiin, safr place you learn quickly and saCcly professional i nstrucLors. (~ rcat

place lr>r f1rst cross country flit;hts. Three and a Moyes-Bailey aerorug for those I ,earn ro :-1crotow and earn your AT this ad, bring a friend and receive one price. Call (256) 880-8'> 12 or (25G) /7(, 9995.

sites

l 12

()ur advertising has a two-month lead time plan ahead.

USlfCA CERTIJ,'JFD TANDEM INSTRUCTlON By (;regg McNarnce. Acrotow training & rat.ings. Dealc:r for all major flight and aerorow equipment, J .5 hours from Disncyworld. Call (352) li89-9%9. www.graybirdairsports.c<>rn HANG GUDINC

ifi LOOKOUT MOUNTAIN FLIG!IT l'J\RI<

Sec

ad under Ccorgia. Nearest mountain training center

to Orlando (only 8 homs).

The i\crotow Flight P,uk

NO MORE BUNNY... THE HILL WITH IT!

WF 1-lA VF · !'he most advanced training program known to hang gliding, teaching yon in half the time it takes on the 1raining-BlJNNY HILL, and with more inflight air time. YES, WF CAN TEAC:I I YOU FASTER AND SAFER. !'or ycar-ronnd trainillg fern in the snn, call or write Miami l Jang Cliding (305) 285-8978. 25'50 S Bayshore Drive, C:ocolltJt Cnwe, l'lorida 331 :rJ.

BUNK! IOUSF WJ\RM & COMFORTABLE By LMFJll 32 hunks, hot showers, open all year, 24 hour sci/' registration. 1-800-803-7788! IIAWAll

Satisfaction ( ;uarantccd

JUST 8 MILES FROM DISNEY WORLD • YEAR ROUND SOARING ·• OPEN DJ\YS A WEEK • HYE TUGS, NO WAITING • EVERY DIRECTION 50+ .NJCE demos to fly: Topless to Trainer ( ;Jidcrs: Lamillar, Moyes, Wills, Airborne, i\irwave, Fxxracy. lvlillennillln La Moucttc, Sensor; also harnesses, varios, etc.

J\ges 13 To Tl have learned to fly here. No one comes close to our level of cxpcricnu· and success vvi1h urndcm ,1croi-ow instruction,

QUFST AIR SOARJNC CENTFR Your vac:1tion h:mg gliding location. (352) !i29 .. ()21 J, fox (352) li2')-

BIRDS !N PJ\RJ\D!SF ~.. l !ang gliding & ulualight flying on Kauai. Certified tandem instructioll. (808) 822-5309 or (808) (,39 10(,7, hirdip(tlaloh:t.nct www .birdsi nparadisc.corn

IJ81j(L Visir our website at: www.qucstaid(,rcc.corn or

J\ CREJ\T SCENE FOR FAMILY AND FRIENDS ...

email us: qucstairCti>s111H.lial.nct

ILLINOIS

GEORGIA

HAN(; (;I.ID!' C:ll!CJ\CO J\crornwing rhrn Prairie Soaring at I.eland J\irpon, l hour west of Chicago. T:111clem instruc1ion. Airport (81 '5) ii'JS2821, home (815) 325-l(i85.

IO motels & restamants within 5 mins., camping, hot showers, .shade trees, .'>ales, storage, ratings, X(: rcrricvals, grcai- wcarl1c.:r, climbing w;d], trampoline,

I )SS 'l V, ping pong, picnic tables, swimming pool, etc. RJ\VEN SKY SPORTS - (312) 360-0700, (8l'i) li89-9700 or (262) li73-8800. 2 homs li'om Chicago, 90 minmcs from l'ab1inc or Libertyville. The

flights of over 167 miles and more than 7 homs. 1\rticlcs ill I /1111,~ (,'/iding, Ki1plm11'S, Sl<y/llings, Cross Counuy and others. Fcarnrcd on 1u1111crous TV shows, including FSPN2.

u1uiprncnt) the best rc~ult-s in program for combincd/intc-

ar:rotow certification. Apply Visit us on the Web: http://www.wallaby.com

IO()CYci of your i!ltro lesson cost~ to ccniiication pro-

gram upgrack 1 i'b1se sec om ad under WISCONSIN. !'lease call us for references and video. 1805 Dean S1ill Road, Disney J\rca, J'L .'l:\8.'17 (86.'l) li2/i-0070 - phone & fax fly(i''wallahy.com Conservative• Reliable • St:llc of tl1c J\n

INDIANA 1 800-803 7788 FULL HOOK.UPS --- Laundry, propane, recreation room. 1-800-8031788 .

(262) 473-8800. Please RJ\ VEN SKY SPORTS sec our ad under Wiscomin. brad~ilhanggliding.com MARYi.AND

. I J.C. INC/FLYING FLORJ])A SINCE 197/i M:dcolm Jones, Ry;111 Clover, C:1rlos llc1sa L:nmc C:rof't, Jncmie I !ill, Kerry Lloyd Tom Ramseur, Roger Sherrod, Rhett Radf,ml Tiki Mashy, l'aris Williams

LOOl(OUT MOUNTJ\IN FLICHT PJ\RK Sec our display ad. Discover why H)UR TIMES as many pilots earn their wings at Lookout than at ally other

school! We wrolc l ISHC :A's Of1icial Tmining MannaL ()ur spccialiy-custorncr satisfoction and fun v,,1irh die

BEST J:ACILITIFS, largest inventory, c:11111,ing, swimming, volleyball, more! l'or a /lying trip, intro llighr or lesson packages) Lookout Mountain) jw1t outside

Chattanooga, your COMPLETE training/service center. Info? (800) 688-LMFP.

FrnRUARY 2000

MARYi.AND SCHOOL OF l!J\NC Cl.lDINC;, INC:. Certified instructioll, in f'oot launch. Dealers lc,r Wills Wing, Moyes, I Encr,;y, year-round instrunioll. (Ii 10) 527-0975.

Hang Gliding Fun For Everyone! 44 Acre Mountain Retreat

Five times as many students learn to

fly

at Lookout than at

Country Club Flying: loging on site, swimming pool, volleyball, bath house, clubhouse, food service, pro shop Ages 11· 76 have learned here Full Time Pro Shop and Custom Sew Shop Equipment sales, rentals , service, repairs, storage

any other school in the country.

procecced from che crades. Ic's even more consiscent rhan Polipoli, free of any problems with clouds, and permission has been obcained co launch from a local resident's back yard. If yo u're an experienced pilot

20 minutes from Chattanooga, 2 hours from Atlanta, Knoxville, Nashville, Birmingham and Huntsville

wich a sense of advemure chis could be che island for you.

KAUAI Kauai is referred co as che Garden Isle for good reason: Ir's virtually covered wich

lush , green rainforest, but it's also very wet. Since ir's rhe oldesr island in the chain, ir has rhe most well-developed beaches. The population is as small as rhe island, so ir's nae crowed or overdeveloped, but again, yo u shouldn't be bored here. This island boascs che most specracular coastal ridge sire in Hawaii, and probably in che world. The Na Pali coasc defies description and has provided che backdrop for many movies requiring exocic scenery. The sea cliff ac Na Pali is a era.de wind-facing sire char can be flown by hang glider pilots from an aerotow launch ac che nearby flighc park. They also offer ulcralighr flights , so ic's worth a visit. There are ocher windward foot-launches on this island, and I'm cold the occasional para.glider pi lot flies here, but thermal flying is not possible anywhere on Kauai with any consistency. There is flying on the other islands at Lanai (a leeward thermal sire) and Molokai (windward sea cliffs) but none of these sites are flown with any consistency and definitely require local contacts and extensive organization co fly. I'd pass chem up if H ANG GLIDING

• Best training results in the country: 98 percent of our Beginner rated pilots earned their Novice Mountain Solo or Aerotow ratings at Lookout in 1999 • Lookout Mountain provided more tandem instructional and introductory flights than any other flight park in 1999 • Lookout Mountain specia lizes in the Integrated Instruction of foot launch and aerotow tandem ski ll s

• 65' and 125' training hills and 1340' novice mountain launch on site, the best training hills in the country • Foot launch and aerotow certification • First Full time Aerotow Flight Park , Four Tug s • Mountain launch supervision • Best priced Learn to fly packages and camps in the country • We wrote the USHGA's official training manual

Call Lookout Mountain at (800) 688-5637

•

www.hanglide.com

your rime here is limited. The Sandwich lsles of Hawaii have some amazing flying sires rhar should satisfy even rhe mosr fasridious pilot. Even if you happen, by some amazing stroke of bad luck, ro visir when conditions are poor, ir's still an awesome place ro spend your vacation, and fabulous windsurfing, surfing, diving, snorkeling, sailing, horseback riding, etc., should help you while away the days without getting terribly bored.

CONTACTS MAUI Hang Gliding Maui - Armin Engert (808) 878-3806 Proflyght Hawaii Paragliding, Inc.- Scott and Steve Arny (808) 874-5433 Para.glide In Paradise - (808) 876-1601 Alto Skyspons - (808) 875-7802 KAUAI

HAWAll (THE BIG ISLAND)

Proflyght (see Maui) Para.glide Hawaii - Achim Hagemann (808) 968-8685 FEBR UARY 2000

Paradise Paragliding - Pere Michelmore (808) 239-2372, Marc Hill (8 08) 9422582

Birds ln Paradise - hang gliding and ultralight flying (808) 968-8685 •

ifi

s MINNES()TJ\

MEXICO

RA VFN SKY SPORTS (61 ;>) 3/i() .. 1800 or (262) li73-8800. Please sec our ad umlcr WISCONSIN. NEVADA ADVENTURE SPORTS Sierra soaring at its best. Tours and tandems available. Instruction from ccrti· ficd USH(;;\ instructors with 25 years experience. Sales, service and instruction by Carson C:ity/Lake Tahoe NV. 88:J-"7070 ht 1[J:l /horne.pyramid.11c1/advspts

I VALLE DE BRA VO Weck long tours, in-,Hlut on Sunday, $795 hang gliding. 1-800-861-7198, jc/Hiilflymcxico.com

LAS VEt:i\S i\lRBORN Wi\TFRSPORTS lJSHCJ\ ccrriiied hang gliding instruction. Sales and service, boat row. rnrn111tain soaring, XC. (702) 2607')50 www.virt11alhosts.net/skysail/n,ai11.l1 Im

MICJUGJ\N

NEW JERSEY

CLOUD 9 SPORT AVIATION Acrotow ists. (;rear deals on all brand gliders. in stock: Laminar ST; Fusion, XC, Ultrasport, Falcon; Moyes Sonic; i\cros S1c,d1h 7: Magic Kiss. Out rigger wheels, launch cart kirs, and other acccs sorics in stock. Call for spring tandem lessons and flyappointments with the 1 JraachcnFliegcn at Cloud 9 field 11088 Coon Lake Rd. Wcbhcrvillc, MI li8892. (517) 22:l-868.,. ( :Im 1d9sa<ri>aol .com http://, nern bcrs.aol.corn/ cloud9sa

MOUNTAIN WINGS

MICHIGAN SOARING Offering ALL major brand gliders & accessories. c; rea I deals' (231) 88247 liti, wingman(f:l\raverse.con1

S\JSQUEHJ\NNJ\ Fl.IC! IT PARK Cooperstown, NY. Certified Instruction, Sales and Service for all major man11fac1urcrs. liO acre park, 5 training hills, jeep rides, bunk house, hot in showers, 600' NW ridge. We have the best N. New York stale to t·cach yon how to fly. c/o D,rn Guido, Box 293 Shoemaker Rd, Mohawk NY 13/i07, (:Wi) 866-615:l.

NORTH CAROLINA

L. I

Fly

•

Look 1111dcr New York.

NEW MEXICO Srate-of.rl,c- art CROSSROADS WlNDSPORTS fr;1ining ,vid1 srationary simulator, BoomB:1r tandcn1s, video coaching. Towing for hang and paraglidcrs. Rentals. Camping 011 the Airpark! Call C:nrt Graham in Hobbs (505) :)92-8222.

Ul' OVFR NFW MEXICO lnstruCLion, sales, service. Sandi,t Mountain guides. Wills, 1\irw,tvc. i\lhuquerque, NM ('i05) 821 -85/i/i. NEW YORK

J\J\A FL!(;J IT SCHOOL

MOUNTAIN WINGS

I ELLl'NVII.I.F AIR SPORTS. Full service shop, llight park, Ii 500fi. row field, winch and aero towing,

HAN

NORM LFSNOW'S FLYINC ADVENTURES Since 1978. Experience &. sal,:ty arc 111. i\ero1owing and hill introductory and foll range of lesson programs for beginner to advanced. Aerotow clinics & US] !GA appropriate ratings avaibblc. LJSHCJ\ certified school. Please contact Norm l.esnow--M,1stcr Pilot, Examiner, Advanced Tandem Instructor, Tow Administrator. (2/,8) 399-9133, FULL-TIME school. n Ifa((Vju no. con1) W\VW ,scriousspon;:;.com/ n Ifo TRAVERSE CITY HANG GLIDERS/Pi\RAGLJf).. ERS FULI .. -TIMF shop. Certified instruction, foot launch and row. Sales, service, accessories for Al.L major brands. VTSJ\/Mi\STFRCARD. Come soar our /i50' dunes' 1509 E 81h, Traverse City Ml li%8/i. Oflcring powered paragliding lessons & dealer for the Explorer & used units. Call Bill e11 (616) 972281i4, tchanggliderG-hjuno.com. Visit our paragliding school in Jackson, Wyoming. Call Tracie at (:307) 739 8620.

rnndems, two-place U.J.. training. Airwave, Altair, Moyes, /\m,s, lc1ro 2000, Flight Srnr U.L., MOSQUITO powered harness, WOODY VALLEY harnesses in stock. The original V-MITTS $29.00. or (91/i) 647-3177 ws,1w.llt)~lHsclwc,I.nc1, 150 Canal St., Ellenville, NY 12428. The most complete 11(; Pro--shop in the Norrh Fast. Serving S. FLY lflC!l Ili\NC (;UDINC, INC. New York, ( :onnccticut, Jersey areas (Ellenville Mtn.) Area's EXCLUSIVE Wills Wing dealer/specialist. Also all other major brn11ds, accessories. Certified school/instruction. Te'1ching since I ')79. Area's most INEXPENSIVE prices. Excellent secondary insrruc·· tion ... if you've finished a program and wish to co11tinuc. Fly the mountain! /\TOI. Tandem flights! Contc1ct Paul 5163 Rd, Pinc Bush,

• Ti\NDFM INSTRUCTION • Alm.OTOWING • llOJ\TTOWINC: • BFJ\CI I RF.SORT • TRAJNlNG C/\MPS • l'C)OT l .A UNCH • OPFN YJ,:J\R ROUND • Pi\RAC;JlD!NC • EQUIPMENT Si\LFS AND SERVICE

(~~~) JJ4-4lll NAG~ HEAD, NC lntenwt Address: llttp:/lwwv:.l,'1\\y·t,awl<.rn.m E-M,1il Address: infoQllkinyhawk.corn PENNSYI.VANIA MOUNTAIN TOI' RFCRFJ\TION C:crriricd insrruction, Piushurgli. (Ii 12) 767-li882. C'MON OUT AND PLAY! MOUNTAIN WINC:S

Look under New York.

PUERTO RICO IKAROS SPORT AVIATION NYC s fost and only certi/,cd hang gliding, paragliding, microlights (trikes), powered Distributors for Avian. Dealers for most major hdl service and cqnipmenl al best The most friendly service in tlw area. Srore 29 31 Newtown Ave., Astoria NY. Phone (718) 777-7000, WWW.FLYFORFUN.NET

FLY PUERTO RICO Team S1,iri1 I Ling Cliding, JI(; classes daily, tandcrn instruction available. Wills Wing dealer. Gli,lcr rentals for qualified pilots. PO Box 978, l'nnta Santi,1go, l'ncrto Rico 00/lt I. (787) 850--0'i08, tshg(ihcoqui.nct

HANC CLJUINC

ifi AMAZJNCLY I.OW PRl(:I'S llo\,((1ll,rokerfciryo,1.c,,n1

UTAH

TENNESSEE

s On all Ball varios!

WASATCH WINGS l:tah's only full service hang gliding school, Point of' the Mountain) regional ITlOlllltain sii-cs, towing. Dealer for Acros, Altair, Wills Wings, Moyes, Airwave and much nrorr:. Ctll /,ac (801 I '576-0l li2., wingstrilwasatch.com ww,v.wasatch.coni/, wings

VIRGINIA I !A WK AIRSPORTS INC P.O. !lox 9056, Knoxville, TN 37940-0056, (ii23) 670-020/i. World farnotts Windsoks, as sern at the Oshkosh & Sttn-NFun EAA Fly--lns. l lawk<rrlwindsok.co,n, www.windsok.com

LOOKOUT MOUNTAIN l'I.ICI IT PARK -- S,T ad under Ceorgia.

Bl.lJJ·: SKY TEXAS

lnstrnction, gliders, accessories, cus·

torn sewing, repairs, towing, Clidcr Savers, Mosquito

motor harness. C:al\ Steve Wendt, (5/iO) li.l?.--6557,

Snpcr BFST 17." WI IEELS AV,r\11.ABl.F hghtwcight, a must for training, tandem in bushings. Only USi\-lrnilt I quantity discounts. lmrncdiatc delivery. l,ooko111 Mountain, (800) 688-LMFP.

(80/i) 21i 1-1l2/i.

1'1.IC:IIT CONNECTIONS, INC. PTT II l<IT/Y HAWK KlTFS

Sec Nonlr Carolina.

Ccrrilied instntction and SILVER WINCS, INC. cquiprncnt sales. (70.l) 5:l:3-1 %5 Arlington YA. WISCONSIN

• YFAR-ROUND XC Fl .Y!NC • Tl lREE TlJC:S • TANDEM TRAlN!NC • OPEN 7 DAY A WFF.K • AFRO TOWfNC • DRAC:ONFLY TRAIN INC • WINCI I TOWINC • TRIKE TRA!NlNC: • FOOT 1.AUNCll • FIYlNS AND CLINICS • PARACL!DIN(; TOWS• GOO ACRE l'J\c:JLITY • SALES AND SERVICE• 7,200' RUNWAY Steve llnrns · !iO'J.2.7').9382. email: shnrns<r1alpha I .net Fred Burns 2.81.171.1 /i8il email: austimrirC.1':101.com www.austinairsports.cotn GO ... HANC CUD/NC!'' Jeff I /,mt. Austin ph/1:tx (512) /i67-2'i29 jcff<rDflytexas.com www.flytexas.com

RAV!cN SKY SPORTS 111\NC CLlDING AND PARAGLIDINC ---- The Midwest's Premier acrntow flight park, founded in I 9n. Featuring INTEGRJ\T. ED INSTRUCTION of f<,ot-·Lrunch and aerotow l:rndc111 skills, at package prices to beat in the all US/\. Seven lwautiful, grassy training hills wind directions. Four Dragonfly tow planes, no waiting! Three 1andcm gliders on ·wheeled undercarriages.

WW Falcons for training Crom the very first lessons. USUA ultralight and instruction. Paragliding for all tows. hee camping. brands. Open 7 days a week. Contact Brad Kushner, PO !lox 1()1, Whitewater WI 'jJ J 90 (26?.) 4?:l-8800 phone, (2C,2) !iTJ-8801 fax, www.hanggliding.com, bra,JGill1anggliding.corn

HILi. COUNTRY PARJ\C;I.IDINC INC I.earn complete pilot skills. Personalized lJSHCA ceridicd ridge soaring, f()ot & tow launching in cc11 tral MOTORIZED PARAGLIDING INSTRUCTION &. FQUIPMENT AYAILABLF. (')15) .'3"79-1185. 1475 CR 220, Tow TX 78Ci72. KITE ENTERPRISES

•Newand Improved "Water/Dust Resistant l'nslr Button " Field Rcplaceabk Finger Switch " I lcavicr (;allgc Wirellm1,rovcd Plugs "Increased Strain Relief at Al.I. Joints Introductory price $89.95. Extra finger switch $H.'J5 w/purchasc. I lcalcr inquiries welcome. Call (91.l) 268-79/iG. MC/Visa. Visit onr website at www.fligl1tco1111.com

TJIIS

NOT Tl !IS

l'oot launc:lr, platform

launch and aerotow instruction too. Tr:1ining sales, rentals and repair. Airwavc & Wills \Ving. Dallas, 1

Fort Worth and north Texas area. 211 Ellis, Allen TX 75002. (972) 3')().')()<J(J nights, weekends, www.kitc-cntcrpriscs.com

TOTAi. AIR SPORTS Area's OLDEST Wills Wing dealer. Certilied instruction available. "I only DEAi. with WILLS". 16121 Lakeview, I louswn TX / /(J!iO. (/ l.l) 9:l/ H(i I ii.

/\ERO PARK A recreational airpark NW of Milwaukee offering skydiving, ultralight instruction, ccrri!ied flight instruction, b:rr & grill and of" course h;111g gliding tand<·m lessons, sales and service. Specializing in pay-out ,vinch a11d mountain lours. C:all Surli\ir I Ii) /83-"77it7.

PARTS & ACCESSORIES AEROTOWING ACCESSORIES - Sec TOW INC. TllE WALLABY RANCH (86.'I) /i2.1-0070.

FrnRUARY 2000

CATE SAVERS Send Vi plus .i I s/h to Rodger Hoyt, 956 Clrngrovc Ave., Central Point OR ')750?, (5/il) <,<A 5915.

ifi

s TEK RIGHT PRODUCTS

m.mmts

/\LL i\CCESSOR!ES IN STOC:I<! Flytcc li005, Quantum 330, call! I.ow prices, fast delivery! Gunnison Clidcrs, 151i9 County Road 17, Gunnison c:o 817,30. (970) 6111-9315, http://gunnisongliders.com/ Hi\NC GLIDER Ci\MER/\ l'i\CI<i\CE Wired rcn1ott\ includes rnomH) wide angle w/inflnitc standby, amo rlash , 35mm auto rewind. Super light weight only 5.3 oz you need $189. Complete. Visa welcome. hnp://www.vinnalhosts.net/skysail/camc1-;1.htm

I f!C:H PERSPECTIVE WJIFFLS Real life savers! 12", light, tough. Fits all Scud $Ii l.95 + $Ii. 50 shipping per pair lo Sport Aviation, PO Box IO I, Mingovillc Pi\ 16856. /\sk about our dealer prices. l.i\MIN/\R l'/\RTS We have wltat yrn1 need and we arc commit red to same day shipping. /\ V8 Call (760) 721-070 I or email at indasky~ilyahoo.corn

Camera mount $48. 50. Camera rem me (ask about rebate) $1J5. Vario mount $15. G" wheels $29.7'1, 8" wheels $34.75 S&I I included. TEK FLIGHT Products, Colebrook Stage, Winsted CT 06098. Or call (860) 379-1668. Vmail: tek<i,lsnct.nct or our

TROPHIF.S Hang gliding/p:1r:1gliding. Unique, custom designs for any size mecr or budget! Call Lisa Tare/Soaring Dreams ro discuss your needs. (208) 376-791/i, 1,oolisa~1\10!.com

H/\.NG GLIDING GIFTS Hang gliding and paragliding including Christmas ornamems, beer mugs, mobiles, and MUCH MORE. Call for a catalog! Soaring Dreams/Lisa Tare, 1171 G Fairview /\venue, Boise I!) 83713. (208) 376791 Ii, Zoolisa«tlaol.com 1-1/\.NG GLIDING i\CCFSSORIES Bi\R MITTS: EXPI.ORFR No map pocket $/i5.00 N/\ VlGi\TOR Removable map pocket $55.00 COMPETITOR Circular map rnff $65.00 CLIDFR Bi\CS-1 lEi\ VY DUTY 600 denier polyester. Water & UV protection. Ill O zipper Reinforced ends. Tapered design. Continuous loop handles. Red or blue. $ I 00.00 CROSS COUNTRY

MINI Vi\RIO World's smallest, simplest vario! Clips to helmet or chinstrap. 200 hours on batteries, O-·l 8,000 f't., fast response and 2 year warr:rnty. Crear for paragliding too. ONLY $169. Mallenec, PO Box 15756, Sanra /\na C/\, 92Tl5. (7lli) %6-l 21JO, MC:/Visa :1cceptcd, www.mallcrrcc.com

210 denier nylon, strong yet lightweight. t/5 zipper.

Tapered. Red or'b!uc. $')0.00 RADIO !'OUCHES Vinyl window. Safety strap. Adjusts to flt most radios. Velcro's onto shoulder strap. Red or blue. $15.00 HARNESS IW; Roomy-Strong-( :ornfortable. i\djnstable waist belt & shoulder straps. Red or bluc.$1i5.00 $12.00 Sail Tics $1.00 10" Wing Tip Bags $5 ca. or Mi\STi\DON DESIGNS Box 6655 S. Like Tahoe Ci\ % 157 (530) 542-385:l www.rnasrndou.net

Your ad is read by more than I 0,000 hang gliding enthusiasts. Advertise with us today. 60

OXYGEN SYSTEMS

DON'T c;in C:i\UGIJT Li\ND!NG DOWNWll\D! -- 1.5 oz. ripsrop nylon, UV treated, 5'/i" long w/ 11 '' th roar. Availahlc colors fluorescent pink/yellow or fluorescent pink/white. $39.95 (,$1.75 SI! I). Send to USHC;i\ Windsok, P.O. Box 1330, Colorado C:O 80901 I 3:lO, (719) 6.'32-8300, fax (719) 17, ushga&lushga.org VlS/\/MC: accepted. Check rhc merchandise section of our web sire www.ushga.org frH a color picture of this awesome windsok.

BUSINESS & EMPLOYMENT

The world-class XCR-180 oper:nes up to 3 hours (iilJ8,000 fi. and weighs only /ilb. Complete kit with cannula and remote cylinder, harness, on/off flowmetcr, only

Sell your unused equiprnent here.

The success is in the DR/\.GONFI.Y TOW CLUB smiles! Dragonfly kits available NOW for $10,800! hilly b11i!t for $12,800 plus yo11 Bobby Bailey to train yon at vour site. Call for Ken Brown dba Moyes America (Ii 15) 753-95:lli FlyaMoyes&l:iol.com J:OR Si\I.E - Arizona hang gliding business. Reduced to half price-251(! /\II wind directions manmade hill with ten acres. Excellent location close to Phoenix/Tucson and near mountain sites. Ciant shop & stock. (180) 777860/.

I.FT Tl IE GOVl'.RNMENT l'!Ni\NCE Your small h11sincss. Gr:rnts/loans to $800,000. hce recorded message (707) 1/i8--0270 (l'Y7).

HANC GLIDING

ifi WANTED---- 1-!ang C:liding/Paragliding instructors_ l111111cdia1c full time oprnings available_ Live the Calii'ornia drcrn1- .. ins1ruct students at the San 1:rancisco Bay ~Hea's pn:rnicr training site. Service shop employment is ,tlso available_ Ask for Pat Dcncva11 (,108) 262-105 5. MSC] [C(i/laol.com www.hang-gliding.com

PUBLJCJ\TfONS & ORGJ\N[ZATIONS CALL l)Sl-TC:/\ h,r a magazine back issue order form. From the early C:round Skimmer ro the present Hang C:liding. (71 'l) 632-8:lOO.

CLOUD 'J SPORT AVIATION -- Hang gliding cquiprnc1u and accessories. I .aunch carts $500, panial kits (517) 22:J-8683 Cloud'JS!\G'1la0Lcom Sec carrs at http://rncmbcrs.aol.com/ clo11d'lsa TUK!\N TRll<E TOWINC Pi\C:Ki\CE: Roux 503 with R&D expansion chamber, Ii-blade Warp Drive, starter with pull retained, "C:" gearbox, RK liOO clutch, Tnndra tires, single smfacc wing. Exccllcnl trailer, large storage box, will deliver, banner system av:iilable $14,500. (850) 98/i-007'0 Florida, hlumaxOOM1\10l.rnn, V[DEOS & £'II.MS NEW* TURNING POINT - IN AIPINE THERMAL.I.ING, hy Dennis Trott/ Alpine flying Cent re. 50'Yi, ] IC, 50% !'(;, Discover techniques to tame the clllsivc alpine thermal. l\camifitl footage set against

From the Telluride Festival in 1981, to the modern day freestyle competition. Follow the history of' this dynamic gathering. $2/i.95 Call USl /CA (?19) 6328300, fax (719) 6;12-6/i 17, ordn from our web site www.ushg:1.org. Please add +$Ii domestic s/h. MISCEJ.l.i\NEOUS

Europe's most dramatic mountains. Also Ccanucs comn1c1ns from top pilots & grcar animation. 2/i 1nin

$.,5.')5 C:mrently our hottest selling video! NEW' AERONAUTS - HANG GLIDING MASTERS, by Photographic Expeditions. !\ documentary of hang gliding today. Superb fc,otage, graphics & interviews. This is the video you show your f'arnily

BAG IT! If' you don'r have your copy of Dennis Pagcn's l'FRFORM/\NCF H.YINC yet, available through US! !Ci\ $2').'l5 (+$5.50 s&h for lJJ'S/l'riority Mail USHC!\, J'() Box 1330, Color:ido Springs CO 80901. 1-800-616-(,888 www.usl1ga.org

and friends' /i:3 min $29.95. PARTY AT CI.OUDBASE A hang gliding music video by Adventure Productions $19.')5. HANG GLIDING EXTREME & BORN TO FLY by Adventure Productions, great hg action $J1.95 each. IIAWAIIAN Ff.YIN by Space 9, soarinµ, in paradise, amazing launches $3.'l.OO Call USf Jc;;\ (719) 632-8300, fox (7l'J) 632-6/il?, email: ushga(tllushga.org, or order off our web wvvw.usnea.o,re. Please add a $4 dorncsric s/h (, two or more

Crcat to impress your friends or

for those socked-in days. Perfect gifr for the launch potarn turned couch potato. /\\so, ask 11s ahout our

paragliding videos!

"AEROBATICS" l'ttll color 2.Y'x 31" poster fca-turing John I lciney doing what he docs bcst--LOOPlN(;> Available tl,rollgl, lJS}l(;A I !Q for jt>sl $6.95 (+$/i.00 s/h). Fill that void on your wall! Srnd to USHC!\ Acrobatics Poster, J'() Box 1300, Colorado Springs CO 809.13. (USA & Canada only. Sorry, poster.s arc NOT J\VA[l.i\BLF on international orders.) SPFC:li\L-i\erobatics & Eric Raymond postcr-1\0TI I FOR $10 s/h)_ Check the merchandise section of our web site ,vww.ushg;1.org

for a color pict \ll'C or these bcamifitl posters.

C,11 USI IC!\ fot VIDFOS BOOKS & POSTERS your Merchandise order form (?19) 632-8:300, email: or

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HARRY AND THF Hi\NC CUD FR is a bcautifolly illustrated children's book. With ,1() color p,1gcs written for pilots ro sh,ire the dream of' flight! To order: send $24.95 plus $:J shipping to Skylligb Publishing, 201 N Tyndal!, Tncson AZ 857'1'! or cill (520) 62881 G5 Visa/MC: accepted.

SPEED GI.ID[NG: TEAR UP THE SKIES By Adventure Productions $2-1.95 Covers the speed contest in Kamloops, British Col11rnbia and onto Telluride, Colorado. Superior graphic animation> great camera angles. 2/i

SO!\RINC Monthly magazine of'Tlic Soaring Society of /\nwrica, Inc. Covers all of soaring /light. i'ull membership $55. Info. with s;1mplc copy $3. SSA, P.O. Box 2100, llobbs, NM 882/i I. (505) 392-1177.

Productions $19.95. Complete coverage o( this event. The sound or the gliders passing through the control

'!'OWING

C\11! USIJC!\ ('719) 632-il300, fax (/19) 6:l2-61i17,

mimnes

TEI.LU!UDE SPEED GLIDING l\y T:num

gates is totally awesome. 33 minutes order from our web site www.ushga.org. Please add

AEROTOWING ACCESSORIES - -- J kadqllartcrs for: The finest releases, releases, Spectra "V" bridles, weak links, tandem bunch can kits, etc. TJIF WALLABY HANCJJ (863) 424-007'0.

Frnr,UAI\Y 2000

$Ii s/h in the USA.

/JNC WlNC: CJ.]l)FRS- 18 flights. Civc 'cm a try! for $5 to: Zing Wings, PO Box ,jk<J, J,:nllmclaw \l:/A 98022.

DON'T LEAVE YOUR GROUND BOUND EQUlPMENT SITTING IN THE GARAGE. SELL IT IN THE IlANG CI.IDINC CLASSIFIEDS.

ifi

CIASS[FJFD AllVERTISTN<; RATES The rate for classi11ed advertising is $.50 per word (or group of characters) and $1.00 per word for bold or all caps. MINIMUM AD Cl !ARC!\ $5.00. A foe of $15.00 is charged for each line an logo and $25.00 for each photo. LlNFART & PHOTO SIZF NO LARCER THAN 1.75" X 2.25". Please underline words to he in hold print. S1,ecial of tabs $25.00 per col umn inch. !'hone words. Email or weh add rcss~}words. AD l) EAD Lr NFS: All ad copy, insi-ructions, changes, additions and cance!L1tions

must he received in writing 1.5 months preceding the cover date, i.e. l'ebru:iry 20th for the April issttc. !'lease make checks payable rn UST !CA, P.O. Box 1330, Colorado Springs, C:O 80901 13}0, (719) 6}2-8:lOO. Fax (719) 632-6/i 17 or email: ttslwa(d>ttshea.ore your classified with yom Visa or

STOLEN WINGS & TIIINGS FLJCflT DFSJCN S2VT Two paragliders lost by the US postal service, shipped from CALIFORNIA 10 IlAWAII parcel post on Attgusr 19th, ]')')'). One large wlpnrple one medium wlorangc top. l.ois hulmcs (530) Lost for a GLASSY MOUNTAIN, SC on October Original winglct (nor a newer version). Painted deep

hlue w/whitc lightening bolt. (Would like to replilci' it or sell win7, 1uinglr1 /i1r ti ji1ir prfr,,.) Patti Peeples 885-2536, phranne11p(rh(:f'l'C:OM.NJ·:·1· Almos STEALTH 152 -. Stolen from QUEST AIR FUCHT PARK, l'L on May 1st, 1999 (last day of the Nats.) Red under, blue rip, myLtr top. C,11 Mark (218) 3')/i. J 227 mboltglide(Daol.com AT BAC/l'IREBIRD G,SPORT L ~.. l.ost at LAKF C:HF.l.AN, WA l:mnch area hy the lowers on May 161h, 19')9. AT bag is purple/green, Clidcr is pink/white. Also SupAir pmplc/wbitc harness, reserve, Piccolo vario. Darren I Ian (')70) 'l25-2ft83. Stolen from storage EDF!. CORVETTE 2ft PG locker in Cl.ARK FORK, ID on May/id,, 1999. 1101 pink/lime green, with trim rabs. Also CQ security chute, burgundy vctrer helmet w/several site stickers 011 it (l'trnston, WOR, Dunlap, Ed Levin, etc.) And older red helmet. Rhoda, (208) 266· 1505. STOLEN WINGS arc listed as a service to USHGA members. Newest entries arc in bold. There is no or charge fill' this service and lost and found ir equipment may be called in (71 <J) 632,8300 or in (719) 632..(,ftl for inclusion in ]Ling Cliding magazine. Please call to cancel the [isring when gliders arc recovered. Periodically, this listing will be purged.

April classifieds deadline: February 20 62

Aero Club listing Actiderny ofModel Aeronautics www.modclaircraft.org

800-435-9262 Balloon Federation ofArneric11 www.bfa.net 515-961 ··8809

Helicopter Club ofArnerica www.vtol.org

703-684-6777 International Aerobatic Club www.iac.org

800-843-3612 Soaring Society ofAmerica www.ssa.org

505-392-1177 U.S. Hang Gliding Association www.ushga.org

719-632-8300 U.S. Parachute Association www.uspa.org

703-836-3495 U.S. Ultndight Associcition www.usua.com

301 ·695-9100 National Aeronautic Association www.naa-usa.org

703-527-0226

INDEX

ADVERTISERS

Adventure Productions .............. ,....... 27 Airwave America ......... ., ........ ,., ......... 21 Alrair .................... .,., ..... ., .................. 31 Angle of Attack ............................ .,.,.62 Arai Dcsign .... .,., ....... ., ...................... 51

Brannigcr ..................... ., ................... 49 Dan Johnson ..................................... 2:3 Fly Guatemala ................... ., .............. 27 Flytcc ........... ,,, .., ................................. 9 I Iall Bros ........................................... 27

High Energy Sports .............. ., ........... 19 Just Fly ................................................ 5 Lookout Men. Flight Park .. ., ........ 56,57

Moyes ................................................. 7 Ncilscn-Kcllcrman ........................ ,..... 7 Sky Dog Publications ., .... ., .... ., .......... 44 Sport Aviation Publications ............... 19 U.S. Acros ................................. 2,10,37 USHGA .................... 5,7, 11, 13,27,31i,46,4CJ West Coast Atos ......................................... 1CJ Wills Wing .................... ., ... Back Cover

Ask us about r.~1,..,,1 ..™i:lu·! .... Phone: 209.543.7850 Toll·Free: 888.530.9940 E·Mail: custsvc@angleofattack.com Website: http://angleofattack.net

100% Gu1m111teed. If not satisfied, return unused tubes for 100% money back. Major Credit Cards accepted. OEM/Dealer inquiries encouraged. Ad b Poler Birren: 847.640.0]71

HANc; GLIDING

S'.l'. PAUL, MINN., Bits and arc tloal:ing around in thc aftermath oL a new mi.lJ.enniurn and celebrations of grand style around t.he globe. It's a good l:irne of year Lo catch up on cfotai bf:fore a new contest and soaring Sf:aeoon begi ••• Why did Acros name l:hi.ci.r new rigid wing, "Stalker?" Aero,.; is t·.he maker of the Stea.1th top.Less hanq qJ icier, which has achieved amazing U.S. market penet:rali.on. ·J'o explain t:he choice of names for thcir new rigid glider - which conjure" a negal·.ive imaqe many Americans Aeros idtcrnl:ified "koadside cnic" as a popular novc,1] wiLl1 a myc:tical t:herne. In the book "Stalker" i.s the main charac idealized as "Neither hunter nor rniJitari.st, he;':.; just tryinq to survive, L:o under,,tand, to learn ... fearle,,E: and couraqeous, a pathfinder, an c0xplorer, J ook.i nq for happiness." OK, very posi ti vc and perhaps v~?ry appropriate a new high·pc,rf ,:rlider, but tl1e name j s odd for American consumption. ••• More so than 've observed with othE.er recenc: :introductions, Moyes' new Lightspeed appears to be enlivening Moyes' participation in competition gliders. "'Phc,y aren' L: for everyone and wh i. le t.he Li ter;peed does have some vices and hand] .i.ng quirks l:he overalJ package is pretty good. has signifi.canl:Iy betL,er glide performance than the CSX, " in one pj lot's opinion. Though reportedly not possessing the CSX' s very light bundling the Ligr1l:speed is said to improve" on l:he popular Given Litespeed' s sweep of the Bra7.i lian Nats and good pc;rEormanee in the Down-Under Nats, some observer.,, felt "Moyes has erased Icaro' J (?ad with the J.aminur." llllillilll Speak.inq of the Laminar, the Italian producer has new models for 2000 and Yankee distributor, AV8, pJaced orders [or six of the MR versions th0, Last: wc,ck oJ: DcccrnbE?r 1999, I'm told. Several of the; new wings wi.11 apparently be; at, L:he Wallaby Open in l\pril. Icaro also said they have improved tr1e i parts and service department and accordinq to once, insider, customer response "har; been encouralJing." ••• Otherwise U1oucJh, 1:he depths of winter seem quj et with glider development nc0ws (exceptinq Moye:;, for whom summer). Not much horn blowing can be heard. A[ tc0r generating so much interc;sL in Uie lm;t. few montJ1s, even rigid winc:J builders appear intent on producing thcir gliders rather than bragging about them. So as U1e new millennium gets underway product news is more focused on accessories. ••• BraziJ Nene Rotor has reportedly found an /\merican reprc,sentat i ve. WaJlaby Ranch t:ug pj Carlos Bessa, cef:erred to the Ranch (s··mail addrecm for pilolf, to contact him about this we1 l ··reqarded harness. Info: car1os@wal1aby.com. 118111 According to web writer, Davj .Straub (www.davis.straub.com/0Z/), Rohan lloltklamp has new harness gn where the pan1chute is pJ aced i.nside the harness UK, neck. Without knowing the means of cextraction, this sounds like an unusual place to locate a product: t.hat if, only needed after the Cecer; hits l:he fan. (Not to say we haven' seen even woi.rder idea . ) ••• Slraub' Oz Report also spent. days on the subject of: dented lF,ading c?dges on the new serier, of riqid wings - when carriea on racl,f; with jnsuf ent padd i.ng in tl1e .ight places. So] uLi ons or fercd by many expertrJ and even a nf,w r.Koduct Hiqh L:nergy Spo:rts, run by vel:eran Betty Pfc0 1:er, F[lll\Ui\RY 2000

now makes a special cross-country cover bag t:hat used a closed-cell foam to help reduce, dent i.ng thc;r,e precious wings. Info: Bet:t:p@aol. corn or see ad. ••• W:i th "new & improved" version of his "Selected Works," hang gl idinq Bob Rouse has madE.' sentaLion of r1 fascinating des i grrn more prof es· sional. The new 119-page, 8. 5 x 11 book (with many fold-out pages of larger dimension) includes color photos of his unusual "bizarre?" -· designs. Whih, these are not f.,ven remotely intended to be mar· ketablo aircraft, Bob does actually build AND FLY! tho,3e gliders. Thouqh I'm no designer and have no ambi Lions of replica\: ing any of Rouse' s work, I nonetheless found his new volume' to be of intense inLerec;l ... although L:hi,: is qui1:e clearly art, and not everyone aqrees that a given type of art is appealing. Thouqh Bob isn't t.ryincr t:o become a pub·· Lis her, 'd 1 i.ke to a few of his books if for no ot:her reason Lhan then bee, might: "qo part-ti.me at my day job" (he' a sail.maker f:or sailboats) and dedicate himse] f even more Lo his arl goals. Ot:her drLisl:s have created excellent portrayals of hang gliding in various mediums, but Dob the only one know of jn the entire world t.o make hang gliders themselves the art. I may be t:he only one~ who l i kes his stuff, but admit to being fascinated by t:he sheer volume of effort and creat:ivi ty he shows wit:h t:h0,se glider designs. T'hat he i brave enouqh to go fly t:hem gives Lhem legitimacy that others speak about but ca.rely actualize. Go, Bob! For those who want more info on his book or his work, Rouse now has e-mail at: Bob.Rouse(<lbeginners.net:. adds: "l have crc,ated a websi t.e about my design-work that cover:c; some o[ the projects within the book 'Selected Works' . " He says the site ha,, "a Lot of color imaqer.; many that are not wi l:.bin the book -· and wi 1] provide you with a few moment;,; of tainment." The URL htl:p://users.evl.net/-f1exwing 0111118 While crowing aboul: artistic expression, I want to say a little about the webs.i te I'm advertising in this magazine. Since 1976 have been Elyinq and writing reviEcws of aircraft plus penning some columns J i ke tl1i,, one. Now tha l: the dig:i l:al alJe ful Ly upon us and thanks to my good Eriend and int:erneL impresario, Cliff Whitney - I have decided to place every arti cle 've ever written on the Internet. Found under the site name www.ByDanJohnson.com, ii: our ambi. Lion l:o create a ] ight aviation portal when0 lots of newbies can find out ubout hang qliclinq, ull:raliqhl:s, and otlier Light ajrcraft. More of my stuf[ revolves around powe:nx! aircraft, but we expect:, 1:o have plenty of material of interest to HG pilots. With my own work, we' have nearly 1,000 articles or colurnns and l i. l:era l J y hundreds of pilot reports, we hope t:o nten,st other HG writers to join L:he effort. The site is still under const.ruction ·L.hi.s is a pretl:.y big undertakincJ but you can go to tbe horne page and .I cave your e-·mai] address. Aft:er the site opens (hopefuJ ly this spring) , we' :I J notify a.Ll who lcfl. their name::: that: the l:e is up and running. Lt wi11 havc.c, Liberal [ree areas and qreat dcc:pt.h available to those who want l~o become i.te members. eee So, qot- news or opinions? Sccmd 'em lo: 8 DonJet., St. Paul MN r,51:U3. Messaqes or fax to 65l-!l50··09JO, or e-mail to CumuJusMan@aol.com ..~ !

•

F u s

I D

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THE BEST PERFORMING GLIDER WE'VE EVER BUILT. PERIOD.

Wills Wing is proud to present the new Fusion 150 SP. We developed this glider to provide our competition team with the highest level of performance. Prototypes of the 150 SP have won the last two annual Morningside Glide Angle contests by wide margins. In its fully equipped competition configuration, the 150 SP has demonstrated nearly two points in L/D performance increase over the original Fusion.And now this glider is available to you.

The Fusion 150 SP features an all new airfoil and sail cut,(now standard at no extra charge on all 150 Fusions), which significantly enhance both performance (by almost a full point in L/D), and handling. Additional individually selectable options allow the pilot to customize the glider to whatever level is desired. Sail upgrades include premium Hydranet trailing edge cloth, fully enclosed spring tip battens, carbon fiber inserts to support and enhance the leading edge of the airfoil, and an option for an all mylar top surface .

Airframe upgrades include afolding speedbar, a faired carbon fiber speedbar, or afull carbon control ba r with minimum profile streamlined downtubes, basetube, and narrow gauge, low drag lower wires.

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USA 500 West Blueridge Ave. Orange, CA 92865 tel 714.998.6359 fax 714.998.0647

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