USHGA Hang Gliding August 2001

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A Publication of the United States Hang Gliding Association • August 2001 • $3.95

• Two 1 foot altimeters • 0 to 20,000 feet and AGL • Analog vario readout • -1700to +1700fpm • Average Vario readout • Audio vario • Selectable audio sound • Volume control • Feet or metric selectable • Variable vario sensitivity Temperature readout • Low battery indicator • Auto flight timer • 128 flight memory • Duration • High altitud<~s • High rate of climb/sink • Accumulated totals , 2 year warranty

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Electronic composs Automatic direction find<1r 3 altimeters Peak value recorder (100 flitJhts) Vario dynamic filter Analog vario to 2400 fpm Digital vario ta 5000 fpm Average vario 1 to 60 sec TE compensation Adjustable stall alarm BoromehJr Thermometer Battery check (life 200 hours) Feet of metric Real time clock Upgradeable flash memory 2 Yeor warranty Opti\">nal airspeed probe Optional hang gliding mmm1 Optional vario holder

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

16 Pilot Profile: Jonas Blanton

by Michael Ormstead Jonas is still flying at age 78.

20 The Grandfather Mountain Masters of Hang Gliding Fly-In

by G. W Meadows An old-timers reunion and fly-in at a once-very-famous flying site.

22 Crossing The English Channel

by Ben Ashman, photos by Wayne Bezner Kerr Flying from England to France in a Doodle Bug.

30 Ric Crosses The Delaware

by Pete Lehmann A report on the Region Nine Regionals.

34 The 2001 Wallaby Open

by Peter Gray Another spectacular aerotow meet in Florida.

39 Oregon's Woodrat Mountain Reborn

by Donald Fitch A great flying site comes back to life.

42 Book Review © 2001 by Dennis Pagen A review of Otto Lilienthal's Birdflight as the Basis ofAviation.

Columns

30

Departments

Incident Reports, by Bill Bryden ........... 6

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

Product Lines, by Dan Johnson ......... 55

Update .................................................... 8 Calendar of Events ............................... 14 Classified Advertising .......................... 44 Index to Advertisers ............................ .54

AUGUST 2001

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Gil Dodgen, Dave Poi.mils, Art John Heiney, Gerry Charlebois, Leroy Grannis, llob I.owe Photographers f/lvstrator

Pagen, Mark St!lcky, RQdger Moy!, Mc,mu,ws, Jim Palmieri, llill Bryden 5111(( Wrilcn

FAREWELL TO BILL COX Jayne De11a11filis,

Jeff Eti;art, Joanne Peterson, joa1111e@ushga.org Natalie Hinsley, Member Se1viccs, nal<1lie@1.1shg11.org Sandra Hewitt, M(1111bcr Services, sandra@ushgu.org

Dear Editor, [ have some sad news to repon. Bill Cox, of'T'ularosa, New Mexico, was killed on the Dry Canyon launch ramp on June 1(J, 200 l.

He was a very experienced Hang Ii pilot who had been flying the sire since 1985. This death, for a change, was nor due to any sort of pilot error.

Bill followed all the safety prccaurions and checklists, He was standing at launch with a wire man on the nose, waiting for a good launch wind ar abo11t 1:00 PM, while several other pilots were setting up. With almost no warning, a dust devil came through the la1Jnch area from behind and picked up Bill and rhc glider, jerking the wires our of the nose man's hands. lt took him up above launch 50 feet or so, spinning madly, then our in front of'launch, and slammed him into the rnounrainside about 200 fccr down. Ir was over in seconds and Bill died on impact.

His fi.mcral was on June 20 near Ruidoso, New Mexico, and pilots drove in from as far as Denver and Tucson to be with him at the last. Bill Cox was a man of few words and dry humor, a member of one of' the oldest ranch· ing families in Southern New Mexico. He lcfr a 19·ycar··old daughter, Jolie. l le died among friends, and very quickly, so there arc lots worse ways to go, but J can't help feeling that he went just a bit roo soon, lfyou knew Bill Cox, keep him in mind when you fly, and sec ifhis spirit might not be there soaring with you, Thanks ro everyone who came ro Bill's fimcral; ir meant a lot to us down here. We're going 10 miss him.

Robin l lastings !.as Cruces, NM

WELL DONE JOHN STOKES! Dear Ldiror, As a long-rime USHGA member (#20960) I enjoyed reading rhc pilot profile on John Stokes in rhe June issue. I had the pleasure of meeting John during the 1C)88 Nationals where he gave a presemation for the pilots. Rick Jacob and], as owners of Sequatchie Valley Soaring, also had the pleasure of having John do ;1 show during one of our East Coast Championships competitions.

During both of these presentations we invited the surrounding community to come enjoy the show.

John has a srylc of using humor while educating people about his work with birds of prey. This goes a long way to help impart a sense of rhc importance of rhesc birds in our AUCUST 2001 VOLLJMI 31, ISSUE No.

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world, and I am happy to sec John doing well and continuing, through the flying he docs with Osceola, to shine a very positive light on our small sport. Well clone John!

Cliff Whitney Cl!mming, CA CENTER.SPREAD CORRECTION

Dear Editor, The centerfold photo in the June issue of' Hr.mg is Jerry Braswell (Zoardog), not I, James A. Zeisct Salida, C:O CHEERS TO THE MOMENT

Dear Editor, What's next? Flying just keeps getting bcrrer each year. Two years ago I encountered a southbound roll cloud from the scat of a Dragonfly as it swept down Florida. Whoa .. , they arc real! l ,ast July l circled up with a trout, guided by an eagle's talons, ar Lookout Mountain. He was still kicking! Hey, when it's my time, that's howl want to go. This past fall, my tandem student thcrrnalecl us in a gaggle of thousands of rusted autumn leaves.

But this last April found me nor only climbing om on course at the Flyrec Hang Gliding Championships, but doing ir while sharing Florida's air with rhc NASA's Space Shunlc en route to its goal, rhe lmern:nional Space Station, 'The shuttle's fiery exhaust and smoke trail was eyc-cttching, making GO miles away look like nothing. The Endeavor's "vario" must have been splitting at the scams at 1, 5/i0,000 foct/minute, or 17,500 miles/hour, or 290 miles/minute, as if it were bustin' out of the Cape Canaveral penitentiary, without looking back, literally blowing rhc joint! The Endeavor's task was just a couple of hundred miles up. I frlr like the in· law at a family reunion, as both aircraft (my glider and the shurrle) were offapring from rhc same place, NASA, and as iflittle had changed, rime just making things look different.

Bur you know what the most beautiful thing of all was? By the time the Endeavor had climbed off the screen, every competitor in the race, flying om 21 st_ccmury spacecraft: recovery vehicles, took some of their evcr-S(}· precious focus and attention and just plain offered it to the moment.

Cun Warren Chattanooga, Tennessee

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by USHGA Accident Review Chairman Bill Bryden s I examine accident reports each month, sometimes very similar incidents seem to occur in groups.

We had several incidents occur last year within a couple of months of each other possessing a fair degree of similarity.

An fntermediate-rated pilot with moderate experience was flying in fairly strong winds. He attempted ro cross a ridge gap but did not start with enough altitude to make it across. [11 addition, the venturi winds compromised his glide. Be turned back but couldn't pen-· ctrate out of the gap to reach a bailout LZ. He attempted to land in a small yard, crashed in trees short of the yard, and nose··dived 50 to 80 foet into the ground. He broke ribs, bruised a lung and kidney, and separated a shoulder.

T'he glider was pretty much totaled.

An Advanced-rated pilot flying a com·· petition-level glider launched in smooth, moderate conditions with 1(} l 5 mph winds. About half an hour into the flight turbulence and winds increased significantly, with strong gusts over 30 mph. 'The pilot continued to fly in the rough conditions and tried to cross a gap ro reach a different LZ. The pilot did have a bail-om plan if he couldn't reach the ridge on rhc other side of the gap, and when strong sink was encountered he opted ro land in the bail-out field. 'lhrbulcnce was extremely strong and turned the glider repeatedly 011 approach. Strong sink and gusts were encountered. As the glider descended, it dropped through the strong gradient or possibly the wind dropped. 'The glider stalled and dove toward the ground. 'The pilot attempted to round out and flare, but the glider had too little energy and lie whacked hard, breaking both arms.

The glider did not have wheels which the pilot thinks might have helped.

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There was 110 damage to the glider, not even a down tube.

An Advanced pilot on a mountain flight got over and into a saddle on a mountain ridge. The venturi effect sig· nificamly increased the winds there and compromised the glider's pcnctra· tion. Radio reports hy sornc pilots indicated winds of 40+ mph alofr. As the pilot tried to stuff the bar and exit the saddle's valley he got into some oscillations (PTO) at high speed. He could nor penetrate and got behind a ridge face, low and in a rotor. He was rotored into the trees and stuck between two of them about 50 or 60 foct above the ground. He was evcntu .. ally rescued, and though he was unharmed the glider was basically demolished.

It's easy to think that a glider that flies faster and bas better penetration can be safely flown in stronger winds than a low· cr-perfonning glider. But this is just not true. Yes, you might be able to penetr;itc out of a valley better, and there arc ralcnred pilots who fly successfiilly in these con· dirions. Flowcver, you must remember thar the glider will be just as susceptible to gradients on landing, rnrbulcnce, and rotors as a lowcr·"performing glider. We sec a correlalion between accidents involving a loss of control, as pilot number two above experienced, and high-wind conditions.

When launching, landing and ofren during other portions of a flight, we arc in close proximity to the ground. High winds flowing over the ground always create turlmlencc, rotors and other unpleasant con .. ditions. However, a fancy topless glider can he tossed about just as easily as a single.surface trainer, and given rhc generally slower response rate of' a competition glider, one might even argue that a pilot in a fancy glider cannot recover as easily or as quickly, resulting in an even less safo siLUa· rion in high winds.

We won't get into the mathematics, but do understand that the lifr generated by a wing for a given angle of attack is directly proponional to the square of the velocity. So, if a wing is kept at a l 0° angle of attack and the airspeed is doubled, the lifr will increase by a factor of four. If wind

changes occur slowly or moderately, a pilot can reduce or increase the angle of attack ro compensate. The glider will even do much of this for you, and it will hardly be noticed. However, sudden gusts can lift a wing or bounce you around more quickly than correction can occur. If you arc landing at 20 mph and about to put your feet down, a sudden five-mph blast will increase lifr more than 56%i, popping you way up in rhc air. It: doesn't man:er much if the wing is a topless or a trainer, they will both the same sudden lifr and you may lose control fix the landing. And sudden gusts are more likely to occur in high-wind conditions.

The other problem all of the above pilots encountered is venturi effect. When the wind blows against an obstacle, such as a mounrain face, iL must go up and over or to the side and around it. If there is a sad .. die or gap in a ridge, there is air hitting the ridge on either side of the gap, trying to go around or over the obstruction. Air close to the gap moves over and into it, but this occurs on both sides so you get approxi·" mately double the amount of air trying to go through the gap as going over the ridge.

A rough rule of thumb is to figure that the wind in the gap will be moving at least twice as fast as that right above the ridge. · rhc slwpc and size of the gap or saddle will determine the velocity, and it often may nm be ;1s extreme as double in velocity, but it can also be substantially more in some gaps and there is generally little lifr to be found there. So, you must assume a worst·casc scenario and proceed to cross the gap accordingly. ff you cross the gap and the winds weren't double, great. Bur it is always better to be safe than sorry.

High winds significantly increase rhe complexity of flying. Winds create turbulence and rotors, and usually possess gusts.

Stronger winds produce a disproportion· arcly larger amount of these. Terrain in gaps and saddles can have a multiplying effect on wind velocity and, of course, associated trashy air. Winds over l 0-15 mph deserve an extra measure of caution, and those over 20 mph probably should be avoided by pilots. Fxtremely talented pilots who are still cornpclled to fly, musr fly with a very conservative demeanor if they wish to reduce the real potential for bad things. Ill HANC GLIDING

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Update

FREE FLY SOLUTIONS

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ario Scolari announces his new company, Free Fly Solurions, locared in San Diego, Califo rnia. Their miss ion is ro provide rhe soaring communi ry wirh high-qualiry p rodu ces previo usly unavailable in rhe U.S. For hang gliding rhey have excl usive righrs fo r rhe following produces.

Metamorfosi parachutes and drogue chutes - Made in Iraly, rhey are known in the han g gliding competition world as the best parachutes available, offering the fas res t openin g times and the best sink rare. T he canopies are fully sewn with Kevlar lines rhar make the reserves virtually indesuucrible, and they have been reseed in free-fall up ro 180 km/ h with a 30% overl oad.

Metamorfosi also makes the Del ta Srop drogue chute.

M2 harnesses - T hese products are made in Austri a and are of excellent design and supe rb quali ry. Free Fly Solutions offers three different rypes of harnesses. The M 2 C igar is the ultimate harness from M2. It was jusr recently rel eased and has been adopted by th ree pi lots on rhe U.S. ream (Glen Volk, Kari Castle and Jerz Rossignol). T his is rhe first harness designed ro red uce drag creared behind the pilot's elbows and neck. le is considered by many ro be the most srreamlined harness in the industry. The M2 Acer is a great streamlined harness for rhe serious X-C pilot. The M2 Sport is id eal fo r recrearional pilots looking fo r a mul ti-line harness. It features plenry of pockets and space.

Digifly varios - D igifly has recently developed a new line of varios with flas h-memory technology. This means that every vario can be upgraded ro a rop-of-che-line instrument with only a software upgrade. The units come with a two-year warranry.

Flight suits - These suits are made in Italy, come in a variery of sizes and colors, and are abo ut half as expensive as any other suit on tl1e marker. They fea ture lots of zippers and packers, grear fabric, and great design.

Contact: Free Fly Solutions, (760) 6 12-6994, info@ freefl ysolurions.com.

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Want to improve your flying, XC, and racing skills? Come train with two US World Championship team members, Paris Williams and Bo Hagewood. Bo and Paris' extensive knowledge and friendly personalities combined with the comfortable atmosphere of Quest Air Soaring Center offer the most enjoyable experience to pilots who want to improve their skills fast. Clinics will be personalized to suit your needs and desires. Learn everything from perfecting landing approaches and flare technique to pursuing advanced maneuvers and smooth controlled freestyle. Master the art of thermaling and expand your horizons with cross-country flying. Already an accomplished XC pilot? Then push the limits with technical cross-country racing clinics. Other Advanced training available: Tandem pilot certification, instructor certification, tug pilot training and certification and more.

ountain High E & S Co. has recently introduced the Co-Pilot, an affordable, hand-held oxygen system designed for supplemental breathing at high altitudes. This system is especially useful for pilots who only occasionally fly at altitudes requiring oxygen and thus do not need a full--foatmcd oxygen system for their aircraft.

Unlike similar systems, the CoPilot's oxygen regulator has an on/off and volume control knob that is adjustable from off to two liters/min.

The face mask is removable and can he replaced with an Oxymizer conserving cannula for continuous "hands off" use for durations over 30 minutes at 15,000 fcer per cylinder. At a glance, the builtin pressure gauge allows the user to sec how much oxygen is available at all times. The Co--Pilot system can be shut off and stored with a cylinder installed for over a year without any noticeable leakage.

The basic Co-Pilot kit at$ l 50 (USD), comes with a regulator with gauge, face mask, two 18-liter, nonrefillable replacement cylinders, and instruction manual. Options include additional cylinders, Oxymizer cannula and holster"pack which can he ordered at any time. For more information or to order, contact Mountain High, 1-800468--8185, sales@mou ntai nhighoxygcn .com.

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again, the organizers of the 13th annual Ellenville, New York "Labor Day Fun Meet" are planning to put up the big-top rent and host ;mother great summer's end party.

This year's event dates will include fun flying and practicing the week of August 27-31. The Fun Meet proper will take place September l -2, with September 3 (Labor Day) as a rain day option.

'Ihe event is open to any mountain-worthy ]fang 11 on up. The actual contest involves four-person teams, which are formed on the spot or in advance.

Pilots may also be scored solo, against other pilots with the same rating. The

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legendary Saturday night party and 'Team Songfest is not to be missed!

For information contact: Paul Voight, Ply High Hang Gliding, (845) 744-3317, flyhighCthfrontiernet.net.

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combination of a weakening British pound and an aggressive entry into the lJ.S. market has resulted in a Doodlebug price reduction. The Flyligh1 Doodlebug motorized hang glider harness has just been reduced in price by approximately l 0°Ai. Eastern U .5, distributor Wayne Bezner Kerr of First Light Aviation says, "The Doodlebug is manufactured in the UK by Flylight.

The British pound has been coming down a bit lately, and FlyLight is eager to attract new pilots in the lJ .S. and Canada. We are delighted that FlyLight has been able to reduce our costs, and we arc passing rl1ese savings directly on to new Bug cmtomcrs. New Doodle-bugs now start at $3,770 plus about $250 for door-to-door shipping. We have new units in stock." A foll range of options arc available, from full fairings to noise-reducing silencers and folding propellers.

'The Doodlebug is a modern, supine, powered harness that works well wirh a wide variety of gliders, frorn sky floaters to rigid wings. 'The comfortable and aerodynamically efficient seated position makes the Doodlebug a popular choice for serious cross--county adventurers.

Doodlebugs have recently toured across the rugged highlands of Scotland and even flew from London to Paris across the English Channel. As this goes to press, a group of Bug pilots have arrived in Spain to fly along with the bivouac-· style World Air Games motorized paragliding competition. Bezner Kerr comments, "Bugs are amazingly comfortable to fly cross--counrry, and handle much better than many pilots can believe. It turns your glider into a serious touring machine, without giving up your ability to soar." The Doodlebug can be short-packed in minutes, and wilJ fit inside mosr compact cars.

'fhe North American Doodlebug distribution network (corn prised of Fi rsr Light Aviation in rhe east, Las Vegas Airsports in rhe western US, and Evolution Airsports in Canada) arc actively recruiting flight parks and hang gliding schools to be dealers. For more information or to contact your closest distribu-· tor, contact: Firsr Light Aviation, (607) 256-9149, http://www.first-light.net.

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ou may now see Joe Bostik's amazing parachute deployment on video.

The Florida Hang Gliding Experience, the latest video release from Bob Grant Productions, has all of the exciting action from a week in Florida beginning at Quest Air Flight Park with awesome thermal flying and personal pilot interviews. Next, our footage takes you to Wallaby Ranch Plight Park for the Wills Wing 28th Anniversary fly-in and parry.

The action at Wallaby is hot, with the foll line of Wills Wing gliders being offered for demos, lots of pretty faces, spectacular flying, and Joe Bostik spinning down under canopy. You may have seen the photos on the OZ Report (http://www. davisstrau b,com/ 0 7./ Ozv5 n60.btm) and now you can see it in a fi1l1-fentured, 24-rninutc video.

The price is $14.95 plus $3.00 shipping from: Bob Grant Productions, 437 Burbrook Place, London, Ontario, Canada N5W 4B5. For on-line ordering visit: http://www.sk.ynet.ca/ ~skydog/ Flo-Experience.htm.

AV8 VS would like to publicly welcome Paris Williams aboard their Laminar racing team that now consists of Robin Hamilton, Steve (Revo) Rcwolinski, Rich Sauer, Aaron Swepston and Chris Giardina. Look for Paris at the Worlds and the 1--karne Nationals flying his new MRX200 I .

Contact: Rich Burton, J\v8, (760) 721 0701, fax (801) 365-8814, indasky@yahoo.com, http://www.icaro2000.com.

HANC CLIDINC

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In consideration of the benefits to be derived from membership in the USHGA, (Pi/of) and the parent or legal guardian of a minor, for themselves, their personal representatives, heirs, executors, next of kin, spouses, minor children and assigns, do agree as follows: 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. or TM~ SJPl1,flT;mrl1 or as a result of the administration of m

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sustained by Pilot's parents or legal guardians, as a result of administration of any USHGA programs.

3. n1::ir.1:;,1,;,c,v P>JJRrJFf' means the following, including their owners, officers, directors, agents, spouses, employees, officials {elected or otherwise), members, independent contractors, sub-contractors, lessors and lessees: a) The United States Hang Gliding Association, a California Non-profit Corporation (USHGA); b) Each of the person(s) sponsoring and/or participating in the administration of Pilot's proficiency rating(s); c) Each of the hang gliding and/or paragliding organizations which are chapters of the USHGA; d) The United States Of America and each of the city(ies), town{s), county(ies), State(s) and/or other political subdivisions or governmental agencies within whose jurisdictions Pi/otlaunches, flies and/or lands; e) Each of the property owners on or over whose property Pi!otmay 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 Pilt,t J'Ali'Tll.'Jl'JfT.E~ 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 All other persons lawfully present at the site(s) during g) m~:rMIARGF the any and all liabilities, claims, demands, or causes of action that I IN}'UR,fES, however caused, even if caused by the negligence (whether active or passive) of any of the .. £.,1.,.,,,.,,..,......,. may hereafter have for PAJF/1/lfS. to the fullest extent allowed by law.

C. I SUE A against any of the loss or damage on account of rP,'JRJFf IJVJU:"RIE~.

If I violate this agreement by filing such a suit or making such a claim, Iwill pay all attorneys' fees and costs of the n,;;;,1.,;;;,1,;,11;;v PJqR11ES. I this shall be and rnn,c::rv,, u,11 matters whatsoever arising under, in connection with or incident to this Agreement r~llifn,vni::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 at least 18 years of age, or, that I am the parent or legal guardian of am making this agreement on behalf of myself and If I am the parent or legal guardian of I the for their defense and indemnity from any claim or liability in the event that ftlot suffers .rP1"JR1r:r !JVJlJ'RIJ.fS even if caused in whole or in part by the negligence (whether active or passive) of any of the ,...,.....,....... u P'JJRTIJ:.'<'

I have Adult l'tlot's Signature

Signature of1'1lot's l'are/Jt or Legal Guardian ifl'tlot 1mder /9 yearr ofage.

Date MMR 12-97

USHGA is issuing its annm:il call for nominations to the national Board of Directors. Eleven positions are open for election in November 200 I for a two-year term beginning January 2002.

USHGA members seeking position on the ballot should send to headquarters for receipt no later than the following information: name and USI l(f;\ number, photo and resume (one page containing the candidate's hang/paragliding activities and viewpoints, wri1lcn consent to be nominated and that they will serve if elected).

Candidates must be nominated by al least three lJSI !GA members residing in the candidate's region.

2001

Norninations arc needed in the following regions. The current Directors, whose terms arc up for reelection in 2002, arc listed below.

Ballots will be distributed with the November issue of !!!ING GUDINO and PJ/RJ/GUDING magazm1es. needs the very best volunteers to help guide the safo development and growth of the sports. Forward candidate material /c)r receipt no later than August 20 to: US! IC)/\, PO Box 1330, Colorado Springs 80901 1330.

States within Alaska, Oregon, Washington Northern California, Nevada

Mark Forbes Jamie Shelden Scott (Jasparian John Circynald

Southern Calil<.HT1ia. I [awaii

4 5 6

Jeff Sinason

7

Nominal ions arc not needed

in Region 7/i>r this election.

8

Nominations arc not needed in Region 8/i>r this clcclion.

9

Randy Leggetl

10

Matt Taber

11

Kent Robinson

l

Nominations are no/ needed in Rcp,ion I 2f<Jr this election

Arizona, Colorado, El Paso TX, New Mexico, l Jtah Idaho, Montana, Wyoming Kansas, Missouri, Oklahoma, Nebraska, Arkansas Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Michigan, Wisconsin, North Dakota, South l )akota, Minnesota I Iampshirc, Connecticut, Maine, Massachusetts, Rhode Island, Vermont Washington DC, Delaware, Kentucky, Maryland, Ohio, Pennsylvania, Virginia, West Virginia Alabama, Florida, Ueorgia, Mississippi, North Carolina, South Carolina, Tennessee, Virgin Islands, Puerto Rico Texas (excluding [I Paso), Louisiana New .Jersey, New York

The following form is for your convenience.

****************************************************************************************** REGIONAL DIRECTOR ELECTION NOMINATION FORM I hereby """""u'"'·····-··-·······-·············-·····-·-···-··-·············-·······················-······- ········-·······-········· ·-···-······-··-····- as a candidate for Regional Director for Region 11.................-....

I understand that his/her name will be placed on the Official Ballot for the

2002 Regional Director Election iCthree nominations arc received at the lJSIIGi\ office by August 20, 2001.

Calendar of events items WJLL NOT he listed if only tentative. Please include exact information (event, dare, contact name and phone number). Items should be received no later than six weeks prior to the event. 'v/./e request two months lead time for regional and national meets.

UNTIL NOV. 15: 2001 l?ef!.ion 9 Regionals and Region 9 Yettrlong X-C Contest. The Regionals totals three week-· end flights in Region 9 from March 17 May 28. The Almost Yearlong Con rest acknowledges a contestant's longest flight on any day between March 15 and November 15. Classes for Rookies, Sixty Miles, Open, Rigid and Paragliders.

Entry fees $IO and respectively.

Contact: Pete Lehmann, lplehmann@aol.com, (412) (i(i 1 5811 Elgin St., Pittsburgh, PA 15206.

UNTIL DEC. 31: The Michael

Champlin World XC Challenf!.e. No entry fees or pre-registration requirements.

Open to paragliders, hang gliders, rigid wings and sailplanes. For more details visit the comest's Web site at http://www.hanggliding.org or contact: John Scott (3 l O) 447-(i234, fax (3 JO) 447-6237, b recto nwoods@)cmail. msn .com.

UNTIL DEC. 31: 2001 Falcon ! fang Gliding Contest. Now includes any other single-surface flex wing. Sponsored hy manufacturers, dealers, instructors and rbc generous.

Support invited. Where: All of the U.S. as divided in to four sections ro make skill, not flying sites, the determining factor for the winners (plus the rest of the world as a single group for frJreign entries). For complete information and entry forms (e-·rnail prdc:rrcd) comact: hn p:// tckfligh t. tripod .com/ falconxc.html , tek@snct.net, or SASE to 'Tek Flight Products, Colebrook Stage, Winsted, CT 06098.

AUGUST 11-18: US Nationals, Austin Air Sports, Hearne,

14

·rx. Contact:

sburns@austinairsports.com, (979) 2799182, www.austinairsporrs.com for more info.

AUG. 27-SEP1: 2:]ttdmm Hole Aeroc.x:treme, Teton Village, WY. Sept. 3 rain dare. "Ihm access to 4,100' vertical for speed gliding, aerobatics, and match racing for paragliding and hang gliding.

Paragliding acrobatics. for info, course map, rules and oriline entry visit www.aerocxtrerne.com or call Scot (307)

extra. Entry fee includes transportation to ;md from Buenos Aires intcrnation;il

airport, retrieval, maps, and a worldfamous /foal party. One row to 2,000' costs $20. Accommodations include camping at no charge, trailers, and cab-· ins for rent. Restaurant open (almost) 24 hours (cheap). Most importam goal: enjoy flying together in a relaxed atmosphere and have fim at night! Contact: Plavio Calliussi, flyranchqvba.net, tel: 011541144931 or0115411454 211:,.

SEPT. 14-16: 200! Masters of Freestyle Hcmg Gliding Contest, held at the 36th annual San Diego Bayfo.ir event. Bayfair is also host to the World Series of Power Boat Racing. l;our contest rounds will be flown with a maximum of 15 contestants. J nterestcd pilots must have freestyle contest and aerotowing experience. Past Masters participants will be given preferred consideration in the pilot selection process. Entry fee is $300. For general event infornrntion visit the Bayfair website at www.bayfair.com. For contest information contact: Aero Events, (818) 715-%31, www.aeroevents.org.

OC1: 8-14: Hee Toppers Tl:rirn Challenge, 'Jcnncssee's Sequatchie Valley. 'This 11th epic event follows last year's capacity turnout, promising fun, learning and fantastic flying as teams help their less-experienced pilots g:1gglc to goal. Bring a team or show up and we'll set you up with one, hut register soon. At $95, including meet shin and keg party, a week of free hot breakfasts and fireside fun atop the scenic Sequatchie, and a prize pot topping $2,000, spaces arc sure to go early. And you'll save $20 over the late registration (postmarked Sept. 7 and later). Registration and inf<J at: mcmbers.aol .com/wcathcrsci/ challenge. ht m or conract Steve at sbdlerby0'aol.com (416) 588-2396.

DEC. 9--15: Aerotow Hrmg Gliding Championship, Buenos Aires. FAI Class ll comp for flex wings with a maximum of 30 pilots. Entry fee U.S. $1 50, prize money $1,000 for the winner, $500 second, $150 third. Daily winner gets $ J 00

FUN UNTIL SEPT. 4: Hang gliding at Yosemite National Park For information and registration visit www.yhga.org.

Eighth Annuctl Mt. Nebo End OfSumrner Fly-In, with the Central

AUG.

Arkansas Mounrain Pilots, at Mt. Nebo State Park, Dardanelle, Arkansas. Pilots must be a current Hang 3 or better to fly.

Camping and cabins arc available through the State Parle Contact: James Linscomc, (501) 890-4849, wispy@tcaintcrnct.com, or Dave Dunning, (501) 967-0570. For infrmna·· tion on cabin and camp site reservations call Mt. Nebo State Park at J -800-26/i ..

2458.

AUG. 27-SEP'I: 2: 13th annual l?llenvil!e, New York J,abor Day Fun Meet.

Fun flying and practicing the week of Aug. 2.T-31. Fun Meer proper Sept. 1-2, with Sept. 3 (Labor Day) as a rain day option. Mounrain--worthy ITang II's and up. Four-person teams, formed on the spot or in advance. Pilots may also be scored solo, against other pilots with the same rating. The legendary Saturday night party and 'learn Songfest is not to be missed! Contact: Paul Voight, Fly l-ligh Hang Gliding, (845) 744-3317, flyb igh@fronticrnet.net.

SEP'[ 1-3: Mt. Maga.zine fly-.Jn. Corne celebrate 2G years of flying one of the premier sites in the U.S. 2000-foot vertical located 45 minutes south of Ozark Arkansas on AR 309. Site of Arkansas' newest stare park. Showers on top!

HANC CIIDINC

Potluck dinner in the LZ Sunday evening (9/2) with the awarding of the USHGA Presidential Citation to Ms. Corene Albright. Hang 111 minimum with restricted landing field signoff Contact: Mark Stump, (501) 571-2996, mstump(d>aep.con1.

SEPT. 7-9: Grandfather Mount1zin Masters of Hang (7/iding f<ly-!n, North Carolina. Fly-in, film festival, vintage glider display and much more. Pilots who fly at Grandfather must pre-qualify (entry-level gliders provided because of the srnall l.Z). Flying at nearby sites for all other pilots. Conract: G.W. Meadows at 4803552, or visit www.grandfi11her.com.

SEPT I 5. 16: Ninth Annual McConne!Mu1g Hang Gliding McConnellsburg, PA, Region IX. hm flying for Hang II (with Observer) to Hang V. Capitol Hang Glider Associarion and the Maryland Hang Gliding Association will donate proceeds ro McConnellsburg Fire ;ind Rescue.

Contact: Carlos Weill, (240) G.31-382 l.

Check www.mhga.com for details.

OCT. 6-8: Columbus Day Fly-In, Alamogordo, New Mexico. Fun flying, comests, trophies, barbecue, and lots of good air! Enjoy desert thermals while your family secs the aspens turning gold in Cloudcroft. Hang gliders and paragliclcrs b0Ll1 welcome. Pilots meeting

9:00 AM each morning. Emry fee $10,

W1NG

by Rodger Hoyt

'T'.-shins $15. Contact: Robin Hastings (505)

OCT. 19-21: Fat/2001 USHGA 8oard J\!feeting, Sheraton City Center, downtown Salt Lake City. Contact: USHGA Hcadqu;irtcrs, (719) 632-8:300.

THROUGH NOV.: AUG. 16-19: Pt1c1jlc Northwest Cc1mpout. Visit Baldy Bune, Saddle Mm., Cleman Mm., ·rigcr M tn. and others. Contact: (206) 3209010, www.fun2fly.com. SEP'[ 290CT 7: Olu Deniz, 'htrkey. Join Mike Eberle on his second advemme to the Aegean Sea. Soar above the 9,000-foot launch site and look out over the Mediterranean and Creek islands.

Contact: www.fun2fly.com, (206) 3209010. OCT. 13--14: October/est. !-!ave fi 111 at the second annual lt;ldy Butte October/est in picturesque central WA. Coma ct: Jeff Davis (509) 697 -7835, Peter Cray (509) 925-9280, or Mike Eberle (206) 320--9010. NOV. I Chile. Mike Eberle once again le;ids you into the Atacama desert of northern Chile for the adventure of a lifetime. All the X--C you desire. Check out the tour section at www.fun2fly.com for articles and photos of past trips. Contact: (20G) 320-9010.

orld record rigid wing pilot Davis Straub forwarded a photo of a clever little kayak cart that also works perfectly for hauling hang gliders.

"This is wlwt we use to haul gliders out from behind locked gates in Z;ipata," D;ivis s;iys, bur there arc numerous inaccessible takeoff sites where this device could become invaluable for tr,rnsporting gliders into launch as well.

The wheeled wonder weighs a paltry seven pounds with a load capacity of 220. It fc,itures pneumatic tires frw smoorb rolling over rough terrain ;ind comes complete with two tic-down straps. The unit is collapsible for in--vchicle storage. For more details contact Prim ex of California, 1-800.422·-2482 or www.ddugc.com.

Have a hot tip? E-mctil rbhoytvvgo.com or mail Rodger Hoyt, 956 Glengrove Ave., Central Point; OR 97502. Al/ contrihutors submitting a usable photo (print or slide) will reC1:ive a.free set of GateSrwers. Ill

PILOT PROFILE

by Michael Orrnstead

onas

ton T

,ky has hdd , anain illm, fm Jonas

Blanton since he was a small boy, and he's had one foot on the ground and one in the air ever since. Blanton, 78, still fli es hang gliders, and may be the oldest person in the United Scares still doing so.

The sky has fascinated him for years, ever since he saw a parachute jump as a small boy in his home town of Gaffney, South Carolina. He recalls, "I saw a parachute jump, the first one I had ever seen, and it excited me so char I decided when I was old enough I would make parachute jumps and make them berrer than char man did."

But Jonas would have a while ro wait. Looking for a bit of excitement, he rook up boxing instead. "I craved excitement, but a young boy in a small southern rown isn't likely ro have much luck," Blanton commerned in a soft southern drawl that hasn't gone away despite his many years in Michigan, "However, I learned char a man was teaching kids how to box, hoping to train a ciry team for competition in Golden Gloves tournaments ."

That was exciting, all right, but at the time Blarnon was three years roo young to compete. The boxing coach let him hang around and sometimes offered him instruction . "He rold me that I would be pretty good by the time I was old enough to enter competition," Blanton recalled.

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Fie turned our to be better than "pretty good." Jonas entered his first welterweight tournament in January 1942 in Asheville, North Carolina. He won that tournamem and over the next three years be won 26 of :33 bouts, both in Golden Gloves tournaments and in military service.

Blanton moved the Battle Creek, Michigan in 1942 to work at Post Divi· sion of Kraft General Foods. He knew a family there m1d stayed with them. "I was registered for the draft and was just marking time," he said. He only worked there a few months before entering military ser·· vice. The service gave him the opportunity to fulfill a boyhood dream of parachuting. "I volunteered for airborne training and ended up overseas with rhe JO I st Airborne Division," Blanton recalls, ""ralk about excitement!"

Afrer World War Tl he continued skydiving, including making the jump be vowed to make in Gaffney. "It was a long time coming, almost 20 years," he says.

Jonas parachuted in a number of air shows, including making a I 0,000-foot jump tha1 benefited an injured colleague.

The skydiving ended after a while, and Blanton decided to take up flying.

He earned a pilot's license on the Cl Bill and flew for 19 years. Flying a plane was fun, he recalls, but it became expensive 18

and he didn't like the cooped-up feeling he got inside an airplane. lfo flying took a different direction in l 967. He and his wifo were watching a ski show in Cypress Gardens, Florida.

Jonas comments, "rlere came a guy riding a kite (a flat kite). And I told my wife, 'That looks exciting and that's for me.' " Blanton ordered the kite and rode it for the next two years, flagging down any boat that went past his house on Goguac Lake in Battle Creek. He would talk the driver imo letting him hook his tow rope to the boat so he could fly. "They knew

nothing about towing, and, not all of them were sober," Blanton recalls. "You can't imagine how many times T got frac· tu red!"

Jonas finally met a man who shared the same interest in flying. 'The author owned a boat and was also interested in the sport. So, the two started a partner.. ship that has continued for 30 years.

Blanton has held a number of titles and has taken part in many competitions.

He mostly flew flat kites in his early years in the sport, and held Master ratings in both American and Canadian associations. He finished third in a Canadian Championships as a senior men's contestant in flat kite trick flying, and finished third in a Canadian/ American Championships in Tupper Lake, New York. He received his American Master rating at the U.S. Nationals in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, and his Canadian Master rating in Ioronto. His best finish in flat kite flying was in the New Orleans National Championships in 1973. He was first runner-up in senior men's tricks.

Blanton and I also liked to do shows.

We Oew in water ski and kite shows in the United States and Canada for 11 years, and took part in two South Carolina Peach Festivals in Gaffney in the early l 970's. All of these experiences haven't been without peril. Jonas laments, "I have HANC GUDINC

Lakeside view ofJon11s's house.

sustained many injuries, including an injured back (which necessitated nearly flve months in a cast), a badly damaged right kidney and two broken shoulders."

We have had frightening experiences as well. Jonas and I were conducting a practice flight bdc)rC a Peach Festival show when I overstressed my glider on a 500--foot line and released prematurely.

Blanton says my large Moyes Maxi "executed the first loop I had ever seen. I told Dr. Robert Baker, the wheel man, 'Let's go pick up the pieces.' Thar's what 1 expected; l expected Mike to be dead."

But somehow I /ell inro the sail while I was topside. "He must linve said the right prayer or shifted his weight correctly because the kite completed the loop just in time rn pancake into rhe water," BlaJJ-· ton recalls.

When Baker and Blanton reached me and saw thar I wasn't hurr, they told me about the famastic sight they had seen.

"Before he could start a verbal assault on me, l said, 'Mike, that was the greatest act l have ever seen. \Xfe'vc gor 10 do that in the show tomorrow!' " f declined die offer, and cleclarecl that I was through with Nxed-linc towing. "Thar's when we went to the winch," Blanton recalls.

Jonas's passion f<)r flying has also involved a personal cost. I Tc lost four friends and acquaintances during sl1ows Aucusr 2001

in North Carolina, Florida, Canada ;ind Colorado. BdcHe he retired in 1978, Blanton had to work his flying around his job at Post and raising a family. I-le worked for the company fr>r 35-1 /2 years and had four children from two mar-Victor, Wesley, Cheryl and Paul.

Blanton almost stopped flying a frw years ago. "] would fly just once each year ro keep close to the sport," he rcrncmhcrs, "I had gotten quire rusty over the years, bur heard about a new method of launching from the top of a boar. So Ormstcad and I made an appointment with Miami Hang Gliding to check it our.''

'The pair went ro Kissimmee, Florida, and while there learned of a bang gliding air park called Wallaby Ranch, locarcd about two miles from their hotel. They had never seen ultralights towing a hang glider before, but it looked exciring so Blanton made a couple of tandem flights.

Because of his long inactivity and the dif-frrcnces i11 the rowing rnethods, he knew he really needed another day at the Ranch to become more proficient. Bur his appoinrmelll with Miami Hang Glidawaited, so he didn'r stay. "I have always that I couldn't stay and finish the course," Blanton comments, "It was very and I may go back."

Blanton and I wem back ro Miami

and bought a new glider, as well as a srate-of-thc-an harness and other equipment. We soloed with the new equipment and headed back to Michigan. We also bought a Correct Craft Ski Nautiquc and equipped it with a launch platform and a sophisticated towing winch wirh 4,300 feet of 3--16 Spectra line. The winch was designed and built by Blanc J-Iau kcdah I, a friend ours, and Blane operates the winch when wc arc flying. I\ pilot training fteld at nearby Kellogg Field limits Blanton ro 1,000-foot tows.

"However, Mike and I sometimes fly Gt1ll I ,ake near Kalamazoo and our altirmics sometimes surpass 3,000 " he comments.

Jonas says he will continue to tow hang gliders as long ;1s he can, and flies for rhe freedom it offers him. "Once I drop that line I'm as free as a bird," he rejoices. And flying holds few fears for him. ''I've been doing it so long it's too late to get scared.'' he cornmc111s. His wife of 52 years, Elsa, says the same thing. "She says, 'just keep the insurance paid up.' " he chuckles.

Jonas says he doesn't plan to quir flying anytime soon: "You don't quit driving or making love, so why quit this? You don't quit till you have to.'' Ill

or

19

by G. W Meadows

Just the other dtty I was talking to a real up-and-coming, hot-shot pilot about a new project Im working on, the Grandfiither Mountain Masters ~f 11"ang Gliding Fly-In, and he said to me, "What's Grandfather Mountain?" he age-related blow that question dealt me was akin to over-· he;iring a recent conversation between a parent and a old child who asked his mom to explain who E.T. was.

In my formative years of hang gliding, Grandfather Mountain was the "holy grail" of hang gliding sires. It: was the site of the most prestigious competition in hang glicl-ing, the Masters of Hang Gliding. Located in the Appalachian mountain chain in western North Carolina, this site is a very popular tourist destination. With its "milehigh swinging bridge," and the draw of its diverse visitor center and various animal exhibits, this beautiful rnountain with its 360 degrees of incredible views ranks as North Carolina's top scenic attraction.

Hang gliding at Grandfather Mountain began in 1974 when the owner of Kitty Hawk Kites, .John T·farris, was the first to fly from its shear, craggy cliffs. Hugh Morton, the owner of the mountain attraction, recognized the beauty and public draw of this fledgling sport and decided to not only creare a yearly invitational competition, but to create a "flying team" that would fly from the mountain up to four times a day as a tourist draw. Soon, hang gliding and Grandfather Mountain became synony· mous. Mr. Monon, being an adept tourism promoter, soon produced billboard and television comrnercials, brochures, and many newspaper releases about hang gliding at Grandfather Mountain. The associated public awareness really added to the viability of hang gliding as a sport on the East Coast. I can remember, when I was 16 years old, driving up to the Blue Ridge Parkway, one of America's most famous scenic byways which nms right at the base of Grandfather Mountain, lying in the grass at one of that route's many scenic overlooks, and watching the hang gliders

20

turn lazy circles above the craggy peaks. I knew then that I would one day join them.

In 1975 Mr. Morton began what became the Masters of Hang Gliding invitational hang gliding competition. He invited the biggest names in the sport. The Masters was sponsored by many North Carolina-based companies, the largest being Winston-Salem-based Piedmont Airlines (which was later purchased by U.S. Air).

With this sponsorship, the competitors were treated like royalty and all went away with money and prizes. The early competitions were flown in Rogallo wings with tasks that included gliding around pylons and performing 360-degree turns on the way down to the LZ where a spot-landing was figured into the score:. It was a tremendous spectacle for pilot and spectator alike, with the brilliantly colored wings descending along the picturesque mountainside.

Everyone wanted to be invited to the Mas-ters. Many of us who weren't talented enough to be invited would spend the week at Grandfather, helping wire pilots off the ramps, just to be a part of the festivities.

As glider design progressed rapidly through the l 970's and into the l 980's, so did the tasks that the gliders would fly. [t wasn't long before the tasks changed from "round the pylon on the way down," to tasks that involved climbing above the top of the mountain and rounding pylons that were above launch multiple times to see who could do it in the shorted elapsed time. The mid-l 980's saw the popularity of the "one-on--onc" competition concept at the Masters. Wi1h side-by-side ramps built on hoth sides of the mountain, this was one of the most spectator-friendly forms of hang glider racing. 'Two pilots would mount the ramps and be given a countdown indicating when they had to launch.

The first one to complete his course would win the round and progress to the next HANC GLIDINC

competition round. It was rrnly an exciting form of hang glider racing, die likes of which l would not sec again until the advent of'speed gliding. I remember Rich Pfeiffer, one of rhe most notorious competitors of rite era, calling Chris Bulger various names at rhe top of his lungs jus1 before they would launch on a one-on-one task, just to shake him up and hopelt11ly make him not fly ;is well. Pfeiffer was a take-no-prisoners competitor, but Bulger won three Masters championships in a row. The excitement associated with those comps was tremendous.

Sadly, 1986 saw North Carolina nativeson Smart Smith, a top world compc1itor with a second.place finish at the 1983 World Championships, die in a tragic competition crash during the first round of the Masters. Stu was the director of the hang gliding program ar Grandfather Mountain, and the program never rccov.. ercd from this terrible incident. Mr. Morton was very saddened by Stu's dearh, and the 1986 competition was the last Masters ever bdd at rhis famous hang gliding site.

Hang gliding competition hasn't been rhc same smce.

The Masters was an integral part of hang gliding ar Grandfather, and a special award that 1\llr. Morton cre;ited in rhe l 9'70's was a coveted possession frlr 1hose who earned it. The "Order of 1he Raven" was a limited award iliat was given to the first 200 pilots who soared above the rugged peaks for more than an hour. Ir was quire ;i few years before all 200 awards were given out, and pilots still proudly display the lovely, person,ilized lithographs.

Later, an "Order of the was estab1ished for pilots who flew more than 20 miles from the site.

So, why do ! tell you all of this?

Because in Scprcmbcr of this year, the largest gathering of old-rime hang glider pilots on the East Coast will take place at this historic hang gliding sire. September 8 and 9 will sec m;iny past competitors, "Raven and Eagle" recipients and Grandfa. ther Mountain 'ft:am Pilots, converge at Grandfather Mountain for a Ply-In and social cvenr. Ar rhe urging of'Jolm Harris, Mr. Morton has agreed to put on an "old. timer's fly-in" that will be open to all hang glider pilots and enthusiasts. Personal invi .. rations are being sent to all of the above .. mcrll"ioncd alumni who can be located, and this article should serve as notice to all others.

Aucusr 2001

induction into the Rogallo Hall of' Fame.

Ir is important w nore, however, that Expect some smpriscs as well. the flying ar Grandfather Mountain will be Since the flying will be limited, ir is strictly limircd because of the usable size of the landing field and the sheerness of the very important that olcl-timers apply fcir a cliff from which pilors will be launching. flight slot. This can best he done by visiting www.grandfathcr.com and filling out The only pilots who will be permitted to a flying resume that will be reviewed hy fly from the mountain on this weekend our safety committee. Pilots without will be the olcl·timcrs who've flown there Internet access arc welcome to call G.W in rhe past. A limited number of additionMeadows at 480 .. 3552 for more al pilots may be able to fly, depending 011 conditions. We will supply gliders for the information abollt applying for a flying Fly-In and only enuy.. Jevcl gliders will be permit. All pilots who fly during the fly-in must be pre-qualified. allowed to fly. Only gliders like the Pulse, Whether you fly or not, this is not an Sonic, Eagle, Target and Ventura will be event to miss. With good flying available utilized clue to the size of the landing field. at other local sites, pilots who come ready Pilots who arc pre-approved to fly during 10 fly will be able to get airtime that the event need only show up with rheir weekend as well as hdcire and afrcr. harnesses. Not ro worry, there will be field Because: of the costs associated with 1rips to other local si1es, and there will be putting on such an event a fee will be plenty of flying for those who wish to charged 10 participate. Much of the probring their gliders Cor some great airtime. ceeds will go to the Rogallo Foundation.

Just as last summer's Dockwciler Fly-In was l'O die olcl-timcrs who remember the We hope you'll find yourscl fin the spectacular mountains of North Carolina early years of that recently reopened sire, during our fly-in, and we're sure you'll so this Grandfather Mountain Fly-! n nor be disappointed wirh the scenery, the will he for rhc old-timers of the heyday of camaraderie, and rhe social events we Grandfather. Much is planned for those have planned. Ill who attend, including a film fostival with sonic of' the best films ever made about the sport of hang gliding. (Filmmaker J [ugh Mmton won many awards for his hang gliding ftlms, as well as others.) In addition, a you whik wailing 011 launch spcc1acular sliclcshow 011/r' spanning the history of hang gliding at Grandfather is planned. We'll also have a "Raven Reunion," and rec .. ognize the earliest recipient of rbat award in attendance as well as many others. An anriquc glider Availabl<: in Sliver and Carbon Optie show will take place /11// Face lldmcr, Fmm in the landing field on Saturday after .. noon, and all pilots are invited to bring their early-model, vi mage gliders to put on display. There will be lunches and dinners as well as an

21

thought he missed the point; these were flying machines in their purist state. He had wrongly concluded that they were contraptions of dire complexity. What I wanted to do was prove him wrong, and prove that the new breed of ultra-ultralight flying machines were indeed capable of serious flying.

Richard Meredith Hardy suggested at the Popham Microlight Rally that we should make a trip from London to Paris in our contraptions. I agreed, and sounded the idea off a few FLPHG (foot-launched powered hang glider) pilots. Only the Bug pilots seemed keen, which was understandable as it would be extremely difficult to get out of a prone powered harness if you had to ditch in the Channel. In order to make such a flight we would need to obtain British registration documents for the machines and to have a period of good weather in which to do it. To get both was going to be difficult.

With a very hectic work schedule it wasn't Lmtil July that both elements can1e together. A high pressure system centered over Britain, giving a light northerly flow over the east and south. The CAA proved to be very helpful once we explained what we were trying to do, and our registration documents were faxed back to us on the same day of application. Now that's service!

Stuart Bond and Barry Tempest agreed to join us, and when I phoned on July 18 and said, "Go for tomorrow," they came down in Stuart's large mobile billboard along with Mick Robson, who was only joining them for the day to collect a new propeller for his recent acquisition. Little did he know that he would be kidnapped and forced to drive for us over the following three days.

We rose at 5:00 AM and set off to Bedford to drop off my girlfriend at the train station, and then it was on to RMH's at Letchworth. Richard's strip was sadly our of wind so we moved over to Newnham airstrip to assemble the Bugs and the paramotor. By 9:00 AM we had lo~ded all our equipment into the various aircraft and all laLU1ched safely to set off on track for Headcorn, Kent.

Conditions were lightly thermic as we flew no more tl1at1 a thousand feet above the ground, picking up the M25 and working our way down to the Thames esruai-y.

Along the M25 we spotted Mick in Stuart's vat1 coming past, but he didn't see at1y of us as he sped past. As he disappeared into the

I

22

distance I pondered what folks must have thought, those who saw us, as all four of us went charging south at a breathtaking 25 mph.

By the time we reached the Thames, Richard was worried that he would not have enough fuel to get to Hcadcorn, so we all started to look for a suitable landing field close to a petrol station. A set-aside field was frmnd dose to a service station on the M25 so down we all went. We detached our tanks and marched off to the pumps. Richard, not missing an opportunity to show off; took his entire paramotor and parked it in front of the pumps, much to the amazemcm of staff and customers alike.

The stubble in the set-aside field was

24

sadly too long to relaunch, so we had to use a dirt track on the edge of the field 1-0 take off Conditions had now changed and the sky was rapidly becoming overdeveloped with large areas of cloud shadow which softened the air and gave us a smoother flight passing over the beautiful North Downs and on into Headcorn. Richard asked Hcadcorn for joining information and we all followed as a formation. On the downwind I almost wet myself with laugh-ter as a helicopter pilot came on the radio, "I:-:Teadcom! Do you realize what you have got on the downwind?" "Yes, thank you!" came the reply.

We landed as near to control as possible withour getting in the way of taxing aircraft and then made our way over to pay our

landing foes and to flle the flight plan fcx Calais, France. Luckily, Richard had spoken 10 lleadcorn about our possible adven-turc and our arrival didn't rnusc any concerns, not even a raised eyebrow.

Back outside a few old hang gliding friends, who now make their livings as PPL instructors, spotted the Bugs and wings.

They seemed very excited when we told them abom our attempt ro cross the Channel and fly to Paris, so much so that they both went away with ambitions of dusting down retired hang gliders and purchasing power units to punctuate the boredom of tin-can flying.

Once we had fed and watered ourselves and our planes we got back into the air.

Next stop: the Dover Gliding Club.

The sun was now out and we had a very light westerly breeze to aid us on. After a fow miles Richard climbed 50 foet higher than I and started to overtake, and this made me feel really slow and paranoid. A canopy was actually flying faster than my wing! Richard was now a couple of hundred feet higher and increasing his lead.

The penny dropped and l realized that with our relatively low speeds, any change in wind strength with altitude would be greatly exaggerated compared to faster microlights. l climbed up to Richard's alti-tude, then a hit higher, and started to catch him. Whew! 'I'he paranoia evaporated.

Once past Ashworth, Richard and I moved our contraptions closer to take a few photos. I had forgotten bow he stowed his cameras, maps, personal belongs, ere., with-in his flying suit, and I was entertained for at least five minmcs as he abandoned all control of the canopy while he twisted and fidgeted ahrmingly, trying to remove his camera, all within a few meters of me.

Photos taken and the sun starting to get lower and lower, the ;iir became silky. Five miles out from Dover the flying was cffrJrt-less with all four of us b;ick together at 2,000 above the ground. Below, members of 1he gliding club were pulling their sailplanes back to the hangars. 'fhey seemed amused as we came in and landed on our foct right outside the clubhouse.

After a short rest and lengthy chats with our new friends, Mick turned up with the van and our fuel. We all topped up our tanks and donned cmcrsion suits and life jackets for the Channel crossing. All four of us climbed out, moving off slowly to the coast with the plan of leaving Dover with at lenst 2,000 feet, and continuing to climb Hi\Nc; GLIDINC

until we reached 4,500 feet half way. This would have worked a treat, except: that t·Ieadcorn could not be raised to ,ictivate our flight plan. What made matters worse was that the Dover coastguard was also uncontactable. With the evening light starting to fade and Calais airport dosing in an hour's time, we all made the sensible decision to return to the gliding club, contact the relevant: parties by phone, and make an early start in the morning. Mick had driven off in the van to catch a ferry across to Calais. Thanks to his eager eye he had seen Richard returning to the field and turned around, saving us an uncomfortable night without our camping gear.

The following morning was perfect: a light northerly wind with clear blue skies.

There was only one problem: Richard had induced a self inOicted illness on Stuart the night before. Stuart has a low beer threshold, and was now sporting a sore head and an even sorer stomach. We left him to sleep on as we headed into town for a breakfost fit for kings, courtesy of Mr. Ronald McDonald.

On our return, Stuart had recovered sufficiently to stand with out falling over, so once again we climbed into our survival gear and took to the air. 'This time we telephoned Headcorn and activated the flight plan, and I managed to raise the coastguard and tell them of our intentions as we head· eel out of the harbor in idyllic conditions.

This was it 22 miles of wet, cold Channel, and all with a chain--saw motor.

After 15 minutes int:o the crossing we were up at 4,000 feet with Richard being the tail-end Charley. The weather w;is superb, and the French coast: was becoming more visible with every minute that p;issed.

Below, steaming in straight lines, were super-tankers plying fheir cargoes from nation to nation, and behind me was one of the most majestic sights that I will never forget, the dazzling white cliffs of Dover capped by towering cumuli shining brightly in the morning sun. There was not a bump in the sky as we pottered along, three Doodle Bugs and a paramo10r.

We had all briefed each other in the event of one craft having to ditch. Choose a small vessel to land by; the big boys wouldn't stop and probably wouldn't even see you go in. The remaining aircraft would broadcast a mayday and try to stay in the vicinity to guide any rescue craft. l spent the whole 40 minutes of the crossing sighting sailing boats, fishing boats and

Aucusr 2001

light boats, using them all as psychological stepping stones. There came a point where I knew I could glide to within a mile of the shore and hey, I can swim a rnilc.

As soon as it was obvious that all four of us could glide to safoty I let out a huge whoop of joy. I think it was one of the proudest moment:s of my flying career to sec the three bugs and my good friend Richard suspended above the Prench shore.

We now had to turn and fly parallel with the coast to get to Calais. Down at 2,000 feet I noticed a school ofland yachts playing on the sands. Five minutes passed and the same land yachts were in exactly the same position. We had next to no ground speed. Down we all wem, and below 500 our ground speed returned to a healthy 20 mph or so. Ir was a tremendous feeling flying over the breakers at 100 feet wi 1b rhe holiday-makers waving back from the sands. We all flew on, rising up along the cli/fa, and there in the distance was the port of Calais and beyond the airfield. Richard called them up and gave our ETA. He was a bit optimistic so I quickened the pace and pulled on ro bring our speed up. This, we were to find out later, was sadly the demise of Richard's paramotor, or to be more precise, the demise of his engmc.

As we cleared the port and started to move inland, Richard announced ro Calais

that he had run out of fuel and was landing short of the field. Calais panicked. They had not appreciated the starcmcm, "We arc four foot-launched aircrafr!" Before 1 could calm the situation they asked a Cessna 011 long ltnals to orbit the area and cont1rm that the downed aircraft was sale.' l cJ top this all, I requested a landing on or near the apron as grass runway 06 was the farthest point from the terminal building.

"This is an international airfleld and if you do not know how to operate at an international airfield you should nor have set offl" "Oh damn," l thought, we arc in for a roasting.

The three of us made textbook landings on 06 and quickly vacated the runway and parked the Bugs in the adjacent cropped flcld. The follow-me car and a fire truck came ambling over and their occupants smiled, said good morning, and rhen asked where our wheels were. I shrugged and said we had none, we were flying foot-launched aircraft. · !"hey went back to their vehicles and radioed the rower. 'Two minutes later a small white car bounced its way toward ns, parked, and out got the driver. The fireman explained in a thick French accent, "The director of the airfleld."

My legs started to wobble. The director marched to the Bugs, t:ook one look and said, "I am so sorry, [ did not realize, please you all come with me." And with that we

all became the best of friends and Calais had met its first foor-launched powered hang gliders, which stayed in the field wailing fix our return.

The director went and fotched Richard while Barry, Stuart and I completed the paperwork and dived into the restaurant.

We were happy bunnies.

Poor old Richard's motor had deceased.

It was nor a lack of fuel but a massive seizure, and he had no chance of continu-· ing, although he tried to find another barrel and piston by the magic of a mobile phone. Alas, it was ro no avail. I-le was now promoted to van driver's mate.

After refueling the Bugs we evemually got back imo rhc air. Not having to wear the survival suit and life jacket was heaven.

Our next port of call was Alben, where a small ulm field was situated. Again the air was magical with a very lighr easterly drift, and as we headed south we had no problems at all. Navigation for the first half of the journey was easy; we just followed the

.26

rnororway.

After two hours we had of rhc 73 miles to Albert, so we all made a cautionary landing ro check om foe! and water the horses. Mick and Richard were in radio contact, and as they came over the hill we were all hack in the air with plenty offuel left in the tanks to complete the last leg.

The evening air became still and thick, with all of us able to fly quire dose and relaxed. The little Radnc engines purred away as we spied Alben in the twilight haze. I knew roughly where the strip was in relationship ro the town, but I was still smpriscd when I cvcnrnally spotted it. At 180 meters long :md nestled in a field foll of thick, lavender, flowered oil seed, ir just appeared to he a small piece of grass. '] 'be only clue was rhc rellralc windsock. The others had spotted Albert's other airfield and luckily decided that, despite my madness, they would settle for the fleld l was landing in.

Once on rite ground we discovered the

remarkable qualities of rhis small strip. Not only did the landowner live on site, and was very obliging by allowing us the use of his electrics and hangars if we needed them, he also owned the bar and restaurant that occupied the other corner of the lavender field. Once again we were in heaven.

The only thing that could have spoilt the occasion was the doubling of my drinks order poor timing on my behalf as I tried to get a round of beers in quickly for Barry, Stuart and myself after landing.

Richard must have heard me order tdepathically, and ar the speed oflight managed to get himself, Mick and the van into the car park and up to the bar before l had finished '"Ii-ois bieres s'il vous plait."

C'cst la vie.

We all slept under the wings that night, all laid flat on the side of the runway. l slept in my Ozec suit and a Doodle Bug bag as I had forgotten my sleeping hag.

This did not prevent me from sleeping like a trooper.

,,,..""'·".," fun llyin9 and Octoberfest Party kicks off an meet, in the Valley. lhe cast coast event for of all levels of ability, the is a rare opportunity to take on tasks, and learn with your team, in a friendly, fun com1pet1t1on and skills seminars, 9lider reps and demos, fly in breakfasts, a generous purse for the top teams, and daily draws round out the excitement. entry fee, before Aug. 30 $Bli and includes T··Shirt, Octoberfcst beer and party, and some big, southern·-style breakfasts, $100 after.

Check the website for pix, info and to print up an online application.

hUll://m11mb11rs.11111.c11111/w1111th11rsol/11hall11n1111.hlm

Hi\NC GUDINC

The morning was beautiful, heavy with dew and bright light.

The restaurant: opened early for breakfast and our last bit of flight planning. We aimed to go to an airfield to the east of Paris, Coulommicrs, which lay a good 80 miles away. 'fbe wind had starred to blow from the north, the perfect direction.

Within the hour the three of us climbed up into the misty morning air. We pointed 170 degrees and set of on the final leg.

This section of the flight was over some of Prance's most famous battle grounds, remnants of the first World War. J;rom the air you could see the scars of the inhuman trenches and the craters from large underground explosions set by miners from both sides tunneling under the opposition's lines.

Once past the Somme Valley we picked up the motorway from Calais and Lile to Paris. Underneath us was the high-speed TGV railway with an occasional train hurtling past at 186 mph very imprcs· sive. One of the original plans was to de-rig t:hc gliders and Bugs to their shortest lengths (two meters for the Target wing and 1.2 meters for the bugs) and jump on the Eurostar train back to London.

The three of us climbed above the inversion and enjoyed perfectly smooth conditions as we raced lorries along rhc motorway. We had a ground speed of55 ro 60 mph, practically supersonic.

Our pcaccfol flight ended when we had to descend to a lower altirnde to pass under Beauvais TMA. 'The thermals were very suppressed by the strong inversion and consequently gave us a bumpy ride.

One hour later T felt the call of' nature, needed to land, and told Stuart that I had to check the fuel. We were now over open countryside with lots of cropped fields, so on selecting a sensible one Stuart and T landed. Barry flew overhead and landed as

AUGUST 200'!

close as possible to the small road on the edge of the field. His propeller was making strange noises. Poor old Barry staggered from the Bug and was walking with an obvious limp, an injury he got from a previous landing. He looked very depressed and explained to us that he bad dropped his glove l O miles into the flight and it had passed through the propeller. He carried on flying for another 50 miles at low power settings to keep the vibratfon down. On inspection we discovered that he had removed about six inches of a propeller leading edge. No wonder it vibrated.

Stuart and [ decided that we would call it a day, as we had achieved our goal and were a team of four all for one and one for a!L The van was telephoned and soon Richard and Mick appeared, making an incredible din as the exhaust pipe had snapped in two. We stood around, slowly packing all the planes down while we drank cans of Stella Artois to celebrate our achievement: four foot-launched ai re raft successfully flown across the Channel, three Doodle Bugs from London ro Paris, l 0.5 hours flying time, 270 statute miles, and 20 liters offuel each. That is better fuel economy than any other type of aircraft I know. A Cessna 172 will stay in the air for 40 minutes and only fly 60 miles on that amount of foci. The Bug is still better than a Cessna if you divide the Cessna's econo· my by four occupants.

T srill can't get over how versatile the Bug and the wing are. You can carry the whole aircraft on your shoulder, pack it small enough to carry comfortably in a car, airliner or train, sleep under it, soar it, tour it, and generally have a brilliant time. Yes, I love my Bug and want to go places and see the world a grip on yourself'Ashman).

The operating cost is just pennies, and the comfort of supine flying for long periods

has to be tried to be believed.

Another impressive thing was the speed at which Richard's canopy cruised. He had no problem keeping up with the Target.

Maybe we ought to organize a grand tour for all fc)(Jt-lauuched aircraft. It is just so much fun. II

27

I

by Pete lehmann

771is year's Region Nine Regional Championship experienced indifferent conditions for much ofthe Jj)ring~ but interspersed were some days ofconsiderablepotential.

,,,.,.__."""he contest's results include an interesting range of flights originating from a variety of sites, and made on a broad range of glider types. Flights originated at tow sites from Ohio to eastern Maryland, and from mountain sites between southern Virginia and the New Jersey border. Toplesses, a T:trget and paragliders registered flights.

Quite an aviation salad, it was.

30

After winning tbe 2000 Yearlong X-C contest, Ric Niehaus had to be reek·· once! a threat in this year's Regionals, and so it proved to be. Ric's winning three flights, all from Highland Aerosports' Ridgely, Maryland tow park, represent the three longest flights ever made from that sitt: and totaled 190.9 miles. His longest flight of 76.3 miles is not only the current site record, but represents tbe first time

that a Ridgely pilot bas ever escaped the confines of the Delmarva Peninsula. Tt) do so Ric had ro cross the Delaware River estuary at a point where it's some four miles across followed by several miles of marsh on the eastern shore.

In a manner of speaking the Hight began the previous afternoon as Ric flew into Philadelphia airport from Brussels on his USAirways Cleared to 8,000 feet, his 767 was bouncing along just below perfect-looking, dark-bellied clouds, and he was thinking he was in the wrong sort of aircraft for such an awesome sky. As a consequence, he was greatly motivated to try and make up for the day's lost opportunity. }Ie was further spurred by a good soaring forecast and his highly pregnant wife Karen's willingness to drive. As a task for the day he aspired to make the first crossing of the Delaware (with apologies to George Washington). Ric and Karen agreed that if he could make the crossing, they would celebrate with a nice dinner and night at the Jersey shore followed by a ride back across the mouth of the Delaware on the Lewes ferry.

After towing up on his Fusion at Ridgely, Ric began by working crosswind over the flat country to the northeast in abundant bur weak lift under the clouds.

Lift ranged between zero and 350 fpm. It was hardly what one would describe as epic conditions. With Karen due in only l 0 days, her pursuit was understandably interrupted by frequent relief stops before Ric finally reached the water at 4,800' AGL Coasting out under a semi-street leading to New Jersey, and with Springsteen tunes in his head, he made it easily. On the far shore he altered course to die east to avoid Philly's airspace, angling across a big stretch of swamp and its attendant blue hole. Getting low and fearing the worst he drifted in zero sink, and anything he could find until he was down to 800 feet over the Woodstown VOR station, a common departure fix of bis when flying our of Philadelphia's airport. However, this lowlevel inspecrion of the VOR provided good lift, not navigational assistance. Reassured by the comforting presence of local raptors, Ric hung on tightly in the rather nasty thermal that got him high enough to once again bail away from the nearby Philly airspace, and begin to work northward. 1:-!is objective was the Redwing airport from which he began his aerotow X-C career a couple of years ago. It wasn't to be, H!\NC GLIDINC

however, and afrer 3:25 in the air he decked it in a sand quarry for yet another site record of7G.3 miles. After Karen arrived with chilled, malted beverages they depaned for Cape May, dinner, and a ride the next morning. Little more than a week later Karen safely brought their son Jabin into the world. A pretty good spring for them, one would say.

Ric's second-longest flight was made on a very different glider. Highland Aerosports had on hand Oleg Bon-darchuk's latest competition glider, the Acros Combat. Ric took aclvamage of their offer to test-fly the glider, and headed somheast from Ridgely toward Reho-beth beach. Experiencing strong and gnarly lifr of abom 550 fjm1, he neared the coast and began to work crosswind to the south, paralleling the coast and hoping to get to the Virginia line. He didn't quite make it, landing in the unlikely named town of Snow City, Maryland for 59.G miles. Highland's co-owner, Sunny Vcncsky, after flrsr having loaned Ric the glider, Lhcn was kind enough to drive down and pick him up. That is service!

The third flight of 55 miles was remarkable in that it was done 011 a blue clay when he only once got 4,000' AGL and spent most of' the flight low. Ric spent the day keying o/T a broad range of visual indicators such as hawks, vultures, swifts, eagles, smoke, grass swirls and dust rising behind a rractor. He flew past his house, and continued northward succcsscning and attaining what he'd thought would he unattainable goals for the day. He foully decked it on rhc out-skirts of Wilmington after his 'Emgcnt vario's battery had died.

I was in second place with a total of ITl.7 miles, flying a Fusion this year and not my Falcon. Perhaps I would have won had I used the Attack Falcon. My best flight, and the longest flight of the con· test, was one of 89.4 rn ilcs from · [cm pie-ton, Pennsylvania ro Brcezcwood. 'The Hight began in somewhat diHicult right-crossed conditions and under csscmially blue skies. Working in the blue wirh my buddy Mike Neuman, we made our way out of the open country and into the mountains near Johnstown, Pennsylvania.

We stayed remarkably high for a blue day, getting close to 8,000' MSL, and never going very low. Climb rates were nothing special, 250-400 np, but lift was easy to find. We bounced along, sniffing stack Auc;t JST 200 I

gases of the three big coal-fired power plants downwind of lc:rnplcton.

By the time we were 30 miles out and into the mounrains the clouds began to become more frequent. But all the while we had been struggling with a variety of radio and equipment problems such that at the mark east of Johnstown Mike finally decided to land in disgusted frustration.

Ironically, he deliberately landed from a very comfcmablc altitude while [, who wanted to conrinuc, had been in grave trouble and nearly decked it a frw miles beyond him. l was down around 500 feet off the deck when I smelled coal smoke and began a broken climb, drifting from field to fleld. l was hoping it would hurry up and turn on as l was fast running imo the Allegheny Mountain leaf descn with no I J's for six to eight miles.

The thermal steadily became more cohcr· cm and turned into the best lifi: Thad seen all day, raking me from 2,500' MSL to base ar lJ,000' MSL. While climbing solidly through 5,500' MSL the twinengined Beech Duchess from the flight school I am aucnding made a wide turn around me as ir headed toward John-stown's airport. Aviation is indeed a small world.

Unforrunarcly, jusr as Tcalled my driver, Holly Bazmi, to let her know l could easily cross the mountain, my radio died. As this was only Holly's second time driving for me and [ was heading off into possibly complicated retrieval country, I became a hit self-con-scious about continuing. Nonetheless, for a while sclf·-intcrcst prevailed and I co min ucd easily under the abundant latc·day mountain clouds. Finally, at seven o'clock my conscience got the better of me and I abandoned my last thermal at 5,500' MSL and glided to land in the town of Brcczewood after four and a quancr hours. Thad to carefully fly my approach around the Holiday Inn Express to land within walking distance of a beer and a phone. [ viewed that as a triumph.

Holly, whose cell phone had also died in the intcrin1, nonetheless made it there soon after I had finished breaking down.

My second flight of 47 miles was made from 'Tcmplcron into the mountains at Ligonier in completely blue and, ngain, difliculr right-cross conditions. The third flight of 41.3 miles was unusual in that ir was rhe first one from southeast-facing

Pete Lehmann over the Allegheny River at Templeton. Photo by Ann Valdes.

32

Jacks Mountain to cross the Allegheny Mountain tree barrier from the east. I made it easily bur promptly landed on the west side of the mountain, only to hear two later pilots continue on beyond me.

In 1hird place overall with a total of 160.4 miles was Mitch Shipley, one of the pilots who did fly beyond me on that Jacks Mountain day. After an absence from the Region for several years, Mitch has returned and immediately made his presence felt on the cross-country scene. Mitch flies Aeros gliders, and this spring bas been making some amazing flights on a sinOf his Regionals flights gle-surface only one was on a Target, the others being made on his topless Stealth. Still, I must commend him for the Target flights which to date include a best of 67 miles. I absolutely love seeing him do that well on a single-surface glider.

The longest of Mitch's contest flights was his 56-miler from Jacks Mountain on the aforernentioned day. Mitch began the day by running down the ridge for I 0 miles rn es1-ablish a remote start point for his flight. Once he finally bailed over the back he saw good lifr of up to 700 fim1 as he cruised across State College, Pennsylvania, taking photos of his new retirement home under construction, the Shipley Estate. He effortlessly crossed Allegheny Mountain's legendary trees and ultimately had to abandon his last thermal ar almost six o'clock because he was drifting into a vast, leafy sea along J.-80 between Clearfield and Dubois.

His second-longest Bight was in fact his first flight on the Target. The 55-mile flight was from High Point near Cumberland, Maryland to near Martinsburg, West Virginia. While the lift and the altitude gains were good, 400-800 fpm and 7,500' MSL respectively, this flight is extraordinary because it was made on a blue day with a single-surface glider. Gliding toward known lift is tough enough on a Target, but gliding for invisible lift on a blue day is asking for trouble. A single-surface glider's poor glide leaves little room for mistakes in picking a route for lift. Mitch did a fine job under the circumstances. Mitch's final flight was of 49.4 miles and made from High Point on his Stealth on the contest's very last day. The distinguishing feature of the flight was that he wasn't eaten alive by a highly agitated Rottweiler in the I .Z. He reckons that the only reason the Rottweiler didn't attack was that the dog was intimiHANC GUDINC

Rank

3

Pilot

Shipley, Mitch

Open

6

11

Wi.lls Fusion/Aeros Cornbat Wills 150 Aeros Stealth/Thxget 'fopless

59.6

89.4

Rookie

Jitn

26

Wllls Wing Ultra Sp<W; MR2000 Octane 141

McGowan, '(bm Aeros Ste,1lth

49,7

13

15 16

Divdy, Ron

17

Bacil

18

Jim

19 20 21

22

Wills Wing HP AT

Dullahan, John

Brooks, Pat M,1rvin Tb1nllnson, Kdvin Buffam, Bill

Rookie

Rodde Rookie

Mike

Wills Ultra Sport 144 Vision Mk 4 Wills Wing Pus.ion 150 Wills Wing XC Wills Wing 150 Wills Ultra Sport 166 Moyes Wills Wing Ultra Sport 166 WHlsWing

Jeff Flynn, 'Tbm 27 28

.Rookie

Pataglider Pantglider

dated by the huge bird that had gotten to Mitch ltrst.

SIXTY MILE CLASS Winner of the Mile Class with a total of' I 08.5 miles, and fourth overall, was Regional Di rector Randy Leggett. I le has succeeded in "trying ... 10 dispel the myth that once a I )irccror, no longer a pilot:."

Randy's longest flight on his tongm>twisr" i ng German Bamck ·1wistcr 'fop less I 50 w;1s 53 miles from I ,ittlc Cap near Allen" town in eastern Pennsylvania to Princeton, New Jersey. The flight began with strong lift off launch and altitudes over six grand Aucusr 2001

19

0 14.5

14

l0.2

0.

0

0 0

14

11

Arcus Arc us

11.4

16.2

16.8 17 0

94

64 7 49.l 49

0 10.8

45.4 41.4 40.l

9

38.9

0

3

18.4

160.4 108.5

68.7

11.3 12.1

1iJtal 190.9

99.5

l L5

Ball, Larry

12

14

41.3 49.4 .8

56

PacAir Klassic 144

5

7 8 9 10

Plight 3

Fligkt 1

30.l 2

0

0

6.3

0

16

4

0

20

1

0

0

19.4

3

2.1

l

6.l

()

0 0

3

7

3

as initially had little trouble finding lift.

Bur that changed near Jugtown as he got low, unzipped his harness and spent the better pan of l O miles around a thousand fcer off the deck. ]-Jc finally had a bubble rurn on and reached cloudbase at 7,200' MSL. Soon afrer that he caught up to Jim Maze who'd left a bit ahead of him on his paraglidcr. As Randy commented, "How can that lx:, a paraglidcr making me chase him?" I fowe\;er, their flight soon encountered an insurmountable barrier, a band of overcast berwcen them and the Jersey coast 50 miles beyond. Alier a fruitless attempr Continued on page 48.

0

A mttp!tracklog ofthe authorJ' 89-mile flight to Breezewood, the longest in the contest.

THE2001 WA Hang gliding in Florida! I knew they'd been doing it for a while, but I still had to see it to believe it. The state is nothing but a wide beach covered with swamps, "1kes, forests, orange groves, and strip malls, with occasional

Mike Z with his Dragonfly.

Hamjoerg Truttmann ready.

Ghostbusterjust offthe cart.

Launch area scene.

n the continental United States, the south end of Texas is the only other place within five degrees of the tropics and with land tilted so nicely into the sun. So, when my old friend J. C. Brown asked me to be the scorekeeper for the Wallaby Open, it was the perfect opportunity to see what Wal laby was all about. At the same time, I would be with the world's best pilots, flying in a state-of-the-art Electron ics Age contest.

I

Others have written about the unique Wallaby Ranch experience (unofficial motto: "This is not the real world"), so I'll skip the details and simply note that when I saw the attention lavished on the kid stuff- sandbox, swings, beautiful tree house and a swimming pool with a trampoline next to it - I figured that proprietor Malcolm Jones had his priorities straight. This is one X-C site that pilots can bring their fanulies to without feeling guilty.

"A hang gliding co ntest is not a democracy!" meet director J.C. Brown lectured me,

34

Wallaby flight line.

"It's a benevolem dictatorship, which is actually the best possible form of government. " My error had been to suggest a pilots' vote as a possible solution to a minor dispute. Dictator, benign or nor, wasn't the first term I would have associated with my long-time friend J.C. , but I was learning a lot about the latest in contest technology. Thar included efficiently navigating the GPS-based scoring hardware and software on two Macs and one PC. And I got a close look at the finesse and hwnan skills required to run a meet that: a) satisfies USHGA sanctions, international rules and high safety standards; b) attracts the world's best pilots; c) scores casks so as to fairly judge pilot performance; and d) is accessible, interesting and fun for pilots entering a big comest for the fuse time.

Doing all that probably does require a dictator.

But even J.C. couldn't command the weather, and chis year a series of cold fronts brought overcast skies and strong, sustained east and northeast winds, perhaps the worst

directions for rowing or going X-C from Wallaby. Sometimes we even had to sleep under blankets! But even mediocre Florida weather left us with five good task days out of a possible seven.

With 101 pilots entered and wicl1 94 to 99 flying each day, the Wallaby crew pulled off 585 contest rows (normally to 2,000 feet) at an average rate of 1.3 launches per minute. In busy times the launch rate was as high as 106 per hour. T he contestants flew a total of 24,632 cross-country miles, almost a trip around the wo rld. In al l that flyi ng, and wi th unusually windy weather, there were no collisions and no reserve deployments. T he worst injury was a bruised arm in an outlanding. Aerorowing into rough air toward a rreeline was sometin1es exciting, and several pilots had minor launch mishaps. As a wind d =y in some of the worst conditions, I had a lockout and a weak link break at less cl1an 200 fee t, making me thankful for cl1e nimble handling of the 142 Fusion SP I was flying.

H ANG GLIDI NG

lLLABYOPEN

large airports thrown in to make X-C interesting. Why go there to fly hang

gliders, let alone stage a major contest? The easy answer is that Florida compensates for its low altitude with its low latitude.

by Peter Gray

Pilots relaxing at

Waiki by

JC and Malcolm on the flight line.

Some of the best adventures were barely related to the co ntest. On the firs t day, British pilot Bob Little was slogging nortl1 in a strong east wind, finding weak thermals at best. Ar abo ut 20 miles from goal, he headed toward some "factories" with open fields next to them. Just past the point of no return, closer inspection revealed "lookout rowers and razor wire." Oops! Then he could see that tl1e more discreet open fields were studded with tall sprinkler pipes. These popular Florida features work like the glider u-aps that the Germans installed in French fields during WWII. Apparently they are for sprinkling orange groves to prevent frost, but why install tl1em before the u-ees are even planted? Bob landed on a d irt track dose to me fence of Sump ta Correctional FaciL ry, where inmates who had been playing "soccer or tennis" (Hmm ... Soccer? Tennis?) stared and shouted to him. Next, by Little's account: "Just as I unclipped, nvo prison guards drove over in a pickup. By the rime my harAUGUST 200 1

Wallaby accommodations.

ness was off, wo shotguns were leveled at my head. Though this was my first rime in America and my first rime ar gunpoint, I guessed protocol demanded mat I put my hands in tl1e air. I was more concerned about my bladder than my life and this situation wasn't helping me ger either w1der control. " Once the guards were satisfied that Bob was not abetting an aerial escape, mey also discovered that he was from out of town way out of town. ''A Liverpool computer analyst and a Florida prison guard don't have much in common, but we managed to discuss Bure Reynolds' role in Mean Streets, which seemed to Lighten the armosphere."

The acting Warden, apparently something of a redneck, told him, "Boy, you and your [stuff] have put me in a highly irregular situation!" But, as usual after an awkward outlanding, the reu-ieve crew was hours away, so Bob had rime co soften tl1e fellow up with wondro us tales of aviation. Soon he was on

a rour of me prison, complete witl1 a lunch of Spam, bread, m ilk and apples, and finally he was set free wi ili a souvenir hat. "Well, it turns out that even the people who held me at gunpoint were tl1e same as all the other Americans I met. Very friendly!"

Several Swiss managed to Land out almost every day, earning mem a Missing Swiss moniker, which J.C. quickly changed to Swiss Miss. T he Swiss M iss usually landed within a few miles of Wallaby, but in places tl1at required many hours of extraction.

They were always cheerful about it, and dutifully called in on their cell phones before the pin-in deadline, but typically showed up wim their GPS's aro und midnigh t.

What does it take to win a meet scored with the GAP form ula? Malcing goal, of course, is Job One. Eleven flex wings made goal every clay, and their places were 1-9, 11 and 16. The top three rigids were also the only rigids that made goal every day. GAP (embedded in tl1e Race2000 scoring soft-

35

ware) only gives tirne--relatcd points (for speed, early departure and arrival order) to those who complete the speed section. At Wallaby we made the entire course, except for the start cylinder, into a speed section.

Typically, the lowest scorer who made goal earned about 25<Jlo more points than a pilot who almost made goal.

Another aspect of the Right Stuff was apparent in the CPS tracldogs wiggling across our computer monitors. The top pilots parked :11 cloudbasc, on the vector from launch to the first turnpoint, just inside the start cylinder. At their chosen gate time they crossed the line l Oto 20 seconds after the clock. Regardless of conditions, they stuck to the course line, deviating ro the upwind side slightly to grab a thermal, drift-· ing back across the line with it, and repeat· ing the process. By comparison, the tracklogs of more typical pilots wandered all over the map, far off course to find lift, then drifting for miles, "chasing butterflies." One lesson l took from this is that most of us make X~C more complicated than it needs to be, by trying to second-guess the best sources of lifr. At least over fairly homogeneous, Aat terrain, it seems that if we want 10 go some-· where, the best way to do it is to aim straight there, using the thermals that we nm into, and knowing which ones to ignore. On the other band, most of us don't have the bird-· like air awareness of a Manfred Ruh mer.

Standing at goal we could watch the top pilots' uncanny precision on final glide.

'Tkre comes the first one!" Ranch hand Carolina De Castro shouted. Against the grey sky to the norrhwest, I could sec a small horizontal line about eight miles out. It

36

looked stationary, and if I had dropped a vertical line from it to the ground it would have given me the true bearing to the last turnpoint, as reliably as a surveyor's transit.

The line stayed fixed against the sky until ir grew into a wing and :1 pilot. 'fhis time it was Gerolf lkinrichs, for ahead of everyone but Brian Porter on Day Three. The finish gate banner was at an angle to his flight path, so Gerolf came in fast, made a turn ar less than 10 feet over the ground, then pulled up, popped his VG, un:ripped his harness and turned for landing in one smooth motion.

Gerolf gave another angle on what it takes to win the big meets. "If you're in the rop lO or 15, each significant error will set you back one place in the clay's standings," he snid. "Significant error" rnight nor have a precise definition, but I would guess that most ofus competent bm 1101-hrillianr X-C pilots average about one sucb error every five minutes.

Although almost everyone scerned to have a great time at the IZanch and in the air, it wouldn't be a hang gliding contest without a fair share of complaining, and as usual, less .. tkm··optimal weather tended to bring our the gripes. Since every decision will have its detractors, a key tool in a meet director's kit is an ability ro sifr out the complaints that he should respond 10 from the background noise.

Many of the ( :Jass Two pilots argued that the canopied gliders (a Swifr and a Millcnium with fuselage fairings) should be scored separately. They argued in a letter ro f.C. that because Brian Porter had made goal first by a wide margin, that "greatly

devalued" all the other Class 'Two scores and was "completely unfair." Perhaps it was, but a separate class for canopied gliders was not yet in dfcct, so for the comest to satisfy its USHGA sanction requirements, Brian Porter and Mike Mulholland (who finished in l 0th place overall) had to be scored along with the other rigids. Of course, these debates will never end, because they are not based on any universal standard of fairness.

There will always be compromises between the extremes of inclusiveness (put every type of soaring craft in the same class) versus a perfectly even technological playing field, with separate classes for every tiny difference in configuration. Amusingly, one of the most vocal advocmcs of excluding the canopied wings was just as vocal a few years back, in favor of putting the Exxtacy in Class One, based on its having weight-shift comrols. Fairness has a lot to do with one's viewing angle.

Some of the flex pilors thought there was

an unhealthy cooperation between Manfred and the ATOS pilors, possibly because the Laminar and ATOS arc now manufactured by the same company. Although it wasn't completely clear why other Aex fliers couldn't take advamage of whatever Manfred was doing, we did have two opportunities to put this the01y to a tesr. Day Three and Day Five were closed courses with W,tllaby as goal, and we sent the two classes in opposite directions. While not conclusive, the results were intriguing. Manfred came in second on Day 'Three, third on Day Five.

On the three days when the two classes flew together, an average of l 0% more rigids than flexes made goal, while on the two days when they Acw separnrcly, the average margin was eight percent in rhe opposite c1irection. Statistically, the sample is small and we have no way to account for differences in conditions that might coincide with flying the course in the opposite direction, but the rcsul ts arc suggestive.

The top pilots in a big international meet fly as if their lives depend on it. For many of rhem, their livelihoods depend on their consistently placing in the top l 0, and prize money can make up a large fracrion of their income. Given that, I'm a little mysti· ficd by the nearly universal acceptance of rhe CAP scoring system, named for its design· crs, GcrolfHcinrichs, Angelo Crapanzano and Paul Mollison. The remarkable thing abom CAP is that nobody can trnly understand ir. '] 'hat is, rhc mathematical basis of HANC Gl!DINC

the scheme is available to evetyone, but no competitor can guess what his or her score will be, based on start and finish times along with out-landing distances. If someone leaves the start gate last and arrives at goal first, he or she can be sure of winning the round, but even then nobody knows what the scores will be 1mril the computer calculates them.

GAP is an effort to make scores more accurately reflect true pilot ability, along with glider performance. One's score not only reflects how one flew compared to oth-er contestants, bur how all the pilots were distributed over the course. CAP calculates a task "validity" that determines the maximum possible score each day, based on how many pilots launch, how they are distributed, and how fast they fly. Those data give an indication of how many times each pilot needed to make a decision, thus identifying the best pilot as the one who made the most correct decisions. For example, if half the pilots barely lefr the start gate, and the other half made goal in one big gaggle, validity would he low because the two groups were evidently separated by only one crucial decision. GAP gives an incentive to Hy early as well as fast, to help prevent everyone from missing the best part of the day because they all hang back and wait for someone dse to venture out on course first. All this is fairly complicated when applied to 100 pilots at once. 'fallying one day's scores would take at least a week with a hand calculator.

GAP works in mysterious ways, but it works the same way for everyone. From Manfred on down, all pilots need the same tools (in addition to flying skills and good decision-making) to do well under GAP: intuition and experience. As director and scorekeeper, we could easily tweak the para· meters of Race2000, although we used default settings when practical, and lefr most of the others constant throughout the meet. The fact that pilots showed little or no interest in those settings testifies to GAP's soundness. Changing the parameters might alter the maximum number of points available on a given day, but it was unlikely to change the rank order or affect anyone's incentives to fly early and fast.

Along with computers, GPS is the tool that makes a contest like the Wallaby Open possible. Suddenly pilots can forget about carrying cameras, trying to recognize landmarks that d1ey've seen once in a photo-· graph, and falling out of thermals while try-

Aucus1 2ocr1

CLASS

Place

r

2

.4 5 6 7 8 9 lO

Nqme

Manfred Ruhmer GcrolfHeini:iclw '. ro.mas Sucharte:k Paris Williams Betinho. Sd,midr Robert Reisinger Lincohi Moreira Chi:isArai

GnryWird11ari1 JosefZweckmayr

12

Rlchi1rd Walbee Nene Rotor

13

Mike Barber

1J

14

15 16 l7 l8 l9 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 27 28 29 30 32 33 34

35 36 37

38 39

Jim Mark Bolt Brett Ifazlctt Bo Hagewood Kilinn Raemy

Glenn Volk GmyDavis Ron Richaedson Aldo Sanches JerzRossignol Richard Sauer Kari Castle Johnny Carr Curr Warren Terry Kathleen Ca.dos James Sthmet

Allan Barnes Wayne Sayer Roberto Nichele Dorival Agfalhon Steve Cook Steve Revmlinski Chris

40

41

Lovasz Luiz

42

Francoise Mocellin

43 44 45 46 47 48 49 50

Andy Hollidge: Andre Wolf Bubba Goodman Mich,1el Williams Marcello Cfoire Pag,m Bob I)ttle L1.\is Perez

USA AvhmJwa

Moyes l,itespeed 4 Aeros Stealth Combnt karoMRX200J "·14 MoycrsLirespecd 4 Moyes Lirespeed 5 Moyes Litt,9peed 4 Moyes Litespeed 4 lcaro Laminar MRX karo Luriinar MRX 13 Aerns Combat Icaro MR2000 .14 Aeros Stea Ith Moyes Litespeed 4 lca.roLantitiar·MRX La Mo1JettC 'J'<mless UJ Icatt>·MRX2001 Icmo Laminar MR.2000 14 Aerqs·.Stealth 151 Icaro l,.aminar.14 Wills Wiq.gFusixm 141 La Mo~1ette Topli:tss JU lc,1ro 1,am imtl' · · Aeros Steahh Combat 14 Icaro L,uninar MoyesLitespeed 5 Moyes.Litespe<!d.·:;l Icaro MR;woo

ll 12 13

14

Michael H.upp,m Johann Posch Jim Yocum Juerg Ris

Mark ML1lholland Richard Meier

USA USA USA

2762

Great Britain USA Great Britain 253i)

Brazil

USA

Great Britain

USA 242] !hnil.

Great Britain

ATOS

2359

l

Gre,tt Britain

Brazil

· · ·

USA USA

2041

1993

Brnz,il

1804

Great Britain

1.719 1674 1659

Mpyes Litespeed 142

CLAssTwo (llider Plaee Name 1 Brian Potter Btlght S~1r Swifr 135 IIansjoerg Tn1tttnanh A+,R ATOS Dave Sharp A-I-RATOS A-I-R ATOS 4 Steve Elkins Davis A-1,R ATOS

6 7 8 9 10

Gte,tl Britain

Nation

USA

Switzerl;md USA Great Britain

USA Swit-1,edand

A-I-R ATOS

Austria

A,l-R .ATOS A,.J,R ATOS

Swfrz.erland·

BrightStal'Millenforp 142 A-l-R ATC)S Plight J)esignGhostbustel' Bright Star Milfoniurn Guggenmos .ESC

. Switzerland Switzerland USA

USA

3400

3020 2871 2797 2582 2580

USA USA

2166 2114 2022

37

each donated a set of'baneries to Oleg, without noticeable effect on his behavior.

Although he didn't make the top 10, Oleg came in 14th without using a flight com .. putcr and with his GPS off most of the time. Por him it was a verification rather than a navigation tool. Somehow be stayed so well oriented in that flat, confttsing terrain that be could toward a tumpoim with high accuracy, switch on his receiver a mile or two in advance, use it to nail the small cylinder, turn, set a new course, and switch it off again. Most pilots, including me, arc too spoiled to try anything like that.

ing to take turn point shots in a gaggle.

Tnstead of all that photo hassle they can

concentrate on flying. CPS also liberates 1he meet director and task committee.

They can concoct several alternate tasks and rhen choose one at the last moment wid1 little inconvenience to pilots. A turnpoint can be anywhere, regardless of recognizable landmarks. Instead of the traditional FA! turnpoinr sectors, we used cylinders with a 0.4-mile radius. 'I 'he start ga1e was a fivc·-mile-·radius cylinder around Wallaby.

Using CPS to verify start times not only saved labor, it was the only practical way to use this format.

What a relief not to have to collect m1d develop and interpret turn point film! CPSbased scoring is much more efficient, but that translates to being able 1·0 accommodate more pilots and give them more corn-plicated tasks, so running a meet isn't much easier than before, just hen-er and in many ways more fun. We had two Macs for downloading tracklogs, and one PC: for scoring. Even with Dennis Pagcn's generous help with downloading, if I finished scoring before rnidnight I thought I was way until the next morning when pilots cool began to spot my inevitable clata.-enrry typos.

Not everything ran smoothly all rhe rime. CPS receivers were srnckcd in piles (I had never seen so many in one place), and many pilots didn't think to label their instruments, making them hard to identify on the "return" table outside headquarters.

"What did it look like?" J.C. would ask hclpfolly, "\Xlas it black?" Srill, I can't think

313

of another technology bringing such a rapid and profol!nd transformation. It had been one year since the U.S. government dropped its signal-scattering Selective Availability. Three years before that, most pilots didn'r own a CPS receiver. Now, fly .. ing without one is almost as unthinkable as flying without a vario.

While watching tracklogs crawl across the computer map, Dennis and I noticed that something seemed to be wrong with Oleg's GPS (that's Oleg Bonderchuk, for whom, along with a handful of other pilots, and Jesus, writing his last name on entry or landing vcriflcation fcmns would be a waste of ink). Oleg was losing signal, leaving big gaps in his rracklog. I knew his receiver had seen its share of use, because the paint was rubbed off all the buttons.

Was it failing intermittently? Did he mount it in a bad location? Did he have a backup GPS like most of the other serious pilots? When Oleg's Day Three tracklog appeared on the screen, all ] could say was "Oleg, you arc so lucky!" (but he had already vanished). The gaps in his signal were even wider than 11sual, but he had data for the start gate and every mrnpoim.

When we found Oleg ro tell him about his GPS problem, it turned out that he w;is switching it off to save money on batteries.

While most compctit·ors installed new batteries (into both their receivers) every day whether they needed to or not, Oleg was getting at least one, sometimes two enrire international contests om of one set of AA's! l-low's that for a perspective on the Ukrainian economic situation? J.C. and [

What did Wallaby say about aircraft? 'rhc most dramatic difference in racing per.formancc was between Brian Porter on his canopied Swift and everyone else. On three contest days Brian made goal with flights of better than 18, 21 and 33 minutes shorter than the second .. best time. In contrast, the widest other gaps in the top ranks were Ccrolf's nearly n inc-minute lead on Man-fred (and all the rigids but Brian) on Day Three, Hansjoerg 'Jhtttman's J 6-minutc lead on the entire field on Day Four, and Paris Williams's 8-1 /2 minute lead over the rest of the flexies on Day Five. Overall, the fastest exposed-pilot rigids beat the flcxics by an average oflcss than two minutes each day.

The Laminar, Litespced and 'falon shared dominion over Class One. These nearly identirnl gliders seem to have nearly identical performance. Ir's great to sec Wills Wing making such a serious effort rn put its pilots hack in the competitive ranks.

The "falon pilots I talked with were very pleased, and their showings at Wallaby and other meets have backed thm up. Jim Lee said the Tdon llics "jnst as well as Manfred's glider," which is about the highest possible endorsement.

On the Class 'Iwo side, the ATOS filled the top nine cxposed .. pilot rigid slots. Some of the others, including the Stalker and the FSC, are hcamifol wings, bur nobody seemed to wring the performance out of them that the ATOS pilots were getting.

The scores cannot reveal some of the best aspects of the Wallaby Open.

When I think of what it's all about, f think of Racan and Fred Pcrmemer, a husbandand-wife team with little competition expe.. riencc. They were always cheerfol, eager to learn, and having the time of their lives. II

HANC GLJDINC

he year 200 l opened somewhat gloomily for the RVHGA, as the Woodrar Mountain top launch and mid--launch sites were closed to flying by the Bureau of Land Management to facilitate a new round of helicopter logging and qnarrying for roadbed material.

Tlie top launch areas (:3,800 2,000 feet above LZ) were drilled, blasted and dropped to provide crushed rock. Our hang glider pilots were especially grieved by the loss of the 20 feet at the main west launch.

Condit-ions brightened in the spring, however. Helicopter logging was completed and the moumain ngain opened to flying.

With the close cooperation and aid of BLM, the blast rubble has been crafrcd into world-class paragliding and hang gliding launches. The RVHGA phiyed an active role in the reformation of mid-launch, and both top launches, west and north. flight Director Chris Wick and RVHGA newsletter editor Kristin Wick met repeatedly with the BLM, crews from Superior Logging, and the private contractors who were helicopter-logging parts o/'\Xloodrat Mountain and vicinity. Through the Wicks and rheir direction of these crews and their heavy equipment, and with input from the hang gliding and paragliding pilots of rhe RVHCA, the new launches present some of die best free-flying launch preparations anywhere in the world.

Where the bulldozers lcfi: off, several RVHCA work crews stepped in, hand-anacking dozer blade berms, rolling large rocks, filling holes and applying crushed rock. The result is hand-tuned launches of acre proportions. The largest tree menacing mid-launch (2,600 feet, 800 feet above LZ) is gone. The knoll behind the launch has been scalped for a helicopter pad and now serves as a great parking area. The main west launch lost some vertical height to the rock crusher, bm the resulting slope has been designed to minimize the rotor that sometimes resulted from the sharp crest.

This launch is now lirerally 200 fc'.et long and up to 80 feet wide. Parts have been optimized for hang gliding takeoff,. The north launch is no longer the narrow slot lefr from the last quarry operation, but now is wide and friendly.

A dedication ceremony for the reborn launches was held atop Woodrar Mountain on Saturday, May 26, the first day of Starrhistlc 2001, rhe 25th Annual Fly-In of the Rogue Valley ]-fang Gliding Association. Present at top launch were 70 hang Aucusr 2001

VENERABLE SounIERN OREGON I-1ANG GLIDING AND PARAGLIDING SITE SPORTS NEW WORLD-CLASS LAUNCHES

Woodrat Mounttzin near Medford, Jacksonville tmd Ruch is well known for its beaut~ful views ofApplegate Valley and powe~ful thermah that carry ftee-.f/yers thousand'i offeet skywtird and miles cross-count~y. Jiang glider pilots htwe flown the mountain since 1978 and paraglider pilots since the early 1990's. ft is a BlM Recreation Opportunity Site, an insured site ofthe Rogue Valley }fang Gliding Association (RVHGA) and scene ofthe annual Starthistle Fly-In Memorial Day weekends. glider and paraglidcr pilots from around the west, the U.S., and even a contingent from South Africa. Also at LOp launch in front of a 60-foot ribbon stretched across the west launch stood Fred TcJmlins of the BLM, pioneer Woodrar Mountain pilots Dave Palmer, Bill Shaw, I .en Leslie, Doug Hildreth and Steve Bisset.

The RVHGA publicly thanked the BLM for their long support of hang gliding and paragliding at Wooclrat Mountain. Freel 'fomlins of the BLM was presented with a plaque bearing a few photos of top launch which read:

The RVHGA wishes to thank the Bureau of Land Management (BLM), Medford Office, for a quarter ccntmy of support of the flying sports of hang gliding and paragliding at the Woodrat Mtn. Recreation Opportunity site.

Starthistle 200 I 25th Annual Fly-In May 26, 2001 Donald Fitch, President, RVHGA 2001 The declicarion continued with the introduction of''\he gathering" of rhc first

39

RVHGA member ~yne Smith of}acksonvifle departs new north Launch. Before being reworked it was a narrow slot, now wide and friendly. Photo by Donald Fitch.

Woodrat Mtn. top Launch areas during Starthistle. North launch is over the crest at cente,: The main west Launch is past the parking area, below at Left. Photo by Dana Hight.

RVHGA newsletter editor Kristin Wick Launches from the new west Launch.

Photo by Donald Fitch.

Fred Tomlins ofELM, Woodrat Mtn. Pioneer pilot Doug Hildreth and RVHGA President Donald Fitch cut the ribbon on the west Launch.

Photo by Athena Fitch.

40

Woodrat pilots. An account of these first flights may be found at www.RVHGA. org/Starthisde200 l .htm. After honoring these initial Woodrat pilots, the BLM's Fred Tomlins, pioneer hang glider pilot Doug Hildreth, and current RVHGA president Donald Fitch cut the ribbon, officially open ing the new launches with these words: "Forty thousand generations of beings that could be called human have walked this earth. [n this long chain of 10,000 centuries, what person born has nor at some time in his life looked ro the birds soaring on currents of air and wished ro join them above? Finally, just one generation ago, humankind first mastered personal, non-powered flight and rook to th e thermals wirh the eagles in early hang gliders.

Right here in the Rogue Valley, and right here with us now, are many of the pioneers of free flight, those who foot-launched offWoodrat Mountain in the late l 970's.

"Each year since then, hang glider pilots, and more recently, paraglider pilots have gathered here on Woodrat Mountain ro fly cl1e energetic thermals of southern Oregon in an event called Starthisrle. To further this new air sport, they began an organ ization called the Rogue Valley Hang Gliding Association .

"Over these years, cl1e Bureau of Land Management, BLM Medford office, has been a friend. This site was declared an official BLM Recreation Opportunity site. Even when logging sales meant having ro blast away launch areas for crushed rock, they have been rebuilt better. Although we lost vertical feet last year, with rl1e help of the BLM the launches we dedicate today are true wo rldclass foot-launches. We also thank the LZ property owners, the Hunters, for cl1e privilege of the use of their land.

"On this 25th Starthisrle we look forward 75 years to the 100cl1 Starthisde Fly-[n in the year 2076. No doubt men and women will be soaring thermals in 2076 with mange wings we cannot now begin to imagine. Our hope is char people will still be flying right here in Southern Oregon at Woodrat Mountain. It is ro them we dedicate these new launches. " The Stanhisde Fly-In resumed immediately afrer the dedication with Dave Palmer, one of the pioneer hang glider pilots, who this year has rediscovered hang gliding, raking to the air cl1ar late afrernoon for a great flight. For a while, no paraglider pilots were to be seen in the big air of late afrernoon. Sunday evening, however, dozens of paraglider pilots launched from mid-launch and enjoyed a massive glassoff The fly-in was spared rain , and conditions

H ANG GLIDING

were fairly ideal, except perhaps for the sire's characteristic rowdiness at midday. All-in-all, the 68 registered pilots had great flights.

John Olson of Portland said, "I had the best rime ever this year: six flights , three minicross-countries, and one amazing glass-off" A Web page of photos, multimedia presentations and contest results of the event is available at www.RVHGA.org/ Srarthisde2001.htm.

Altl10ugh mainly a fun fly-in , Starthisde 2001 did include contests of flying skills.

Top scores went to:

Hang Gliding Distance - Phil Stonebrook - 20 miles Altitude - Phil Stonebrook - 10,700 feet MSL! Duration - Kevin Cassey - 3 hours and 46 minutes Spot-Landing - Grant Kimbell - 60 feet

Paragliding Distance - Bill Gordon - 12.5 miles Altitude - "Billy the Flash" Gordon 6,860 feet MSL Duration - Jim Little - 2 hours and 38 mmutes Spot-Landing - Quenton O ats and Thayer Hughes - On The Cone Dr. Philip Stonebrook ofJoseph, Oregon, hang gliding veteran of 10 Sranhistles, had his best fly-in flight yet. After scratching around top launch for a few hours, Phil caught a thermal up through a 5,500-foot layer to 6,700 feet. He d1en turned east, and just northeast of Anderson Peak he cored a colossal thermal mat shot him up 1,300 fpm to 10,700 feet MSL, well over a mile above top launch, now five miles to me west. From mere Phil headed toward Ashland and arrived at Emigrant Lake 6,000 feet above, roughly me height of

Soar over to the

Aviation Depot

/

Pilot Rock and well above Siskiyou Pass at 4,200 feet. Thunderstorms to the soum prevented his continuation on into California, the "Holy Grail" of Woodrat crosscountry pilots. He landed near the dam at Emigrant Lake, so ud1east of Ashland, 20 miles east of launch. Congratulations Phil!

Woodrat Mountain can be viewed nearly live over the World-Wide Web at www.RVHGA.org. A "live" Web cam broadcasts a new image of me mountain every few minutes from RVHGA member and paraglider pilot Ron Skog's house, just norm of me LZ and normwest of me mountam.

Woodrat Mountain is open to flying for all USHGA members, H3 or P3, or instructor's signoff for H2's and P2 's. A signed waiver is required ($5 .00 suggested donation). Join us May 25-27 next year for Srarcl1isde 2002 (www.RVHGA.org/Srarmisde2002.htm) . •

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OlOOSle from rNel' 700 items cn1 order 24/7 at ar sea.re onli'le stlOClDiM site. Free 5"llDim on web orders rNel' $30. fklst orders sniD in 24-48 liars.I

"Proven Performance" "Over 100 Satisfied Customers" 600 foot/min climb rate 100 foot take off and landing 22 HP engine Attaches to most hang gilders Easy to set up, break down and transport Ready to Fly, Not a Kit SkyCycle Video Available

Fun, Convenient, Comfortable and Easy True Lightweight Soaring Trike 95 lbs.

Looko,d Mo1tntoin Hons Glidin9 800. 688. 5637 - www. han9lid~.COIH

A UGUST 2001

41

!

always suspected Ott. o was a kindred spirit to all those who long to fly like a bird, and now 1 know.

My awareness does not cornc from an admiring biography, but from a new/old book entitled Birdflight as tbc Basis of Aviation written by the master himself: 'This book describes 30 years of aeronautical experiments

by Otto and his younger brother Gustav. lt is old because it was first published in 1889 by Otto himself. It is new because it has been recently reprinted by Markowski Intemation· al Publishers in a fine modern edition. From the beautiful cover to the perfect reproduc· tion of tbe many original photos and draw.· ings, the publisher has done an aclmirable job. He has also performed a wonderful service for those of us who love flight. l talked to Mike Markowski, an acquaintance felt' 27 years, and got the scoop. I-Ie had originally read Otto's hook in 1972 and was inspired, but couldn't afford to own it back then as all extant copies were expensive archives. Past forward to the presenr.

With modern priming methods, Markowski was able to go to these archives and photograph each page with higb silver-content film to produce an exact copy of the original manuscript. It is now available and affordable for all of us.

The book begins with an introduction by Gustav describing the process and evolution of their discoveries and eventual flights.

By 1861, when Otto was 13, he and Gustav were experimenting with flying models and planning for bigger things.

Their inspiration was the storks and hawks that frequented their home near Anklam, Germany. for more than 30 years they designed, built, flew and tested their flying "machines." This continued until Orto logged more than 2,000 gliding flights. 1:-Iis untimely fatal accident in 1896 put an end to his quest for the freedom of flight, but nor before he had jump-started aviation and influenced the likes of Chanute, Pilcher, the Wright Brothers and all other would-be aviators who followed.

Otto Lilienthal was an extraordinary creative mind with ;m engineering degree. He invented children's toys as well as a modern boiler, which revolutionized the steam power plants of the day. His success with his patented inventions allowed him the time and mon·· ey to experiment with flight. fie built many different versions of his flying wings and also

42

by Otto Lilienthal

copyright © 2001 by Dennis Pagen

((Heroes are made, not born, "says the conventional wisdom. Heroes are individuals with gumption, courage and vision, willing to make sacrifices to achieve a higher goal Otto Lilienthal not only qualffies by those standards as a hero, but also as the true prophet ofpure flight. built a cone-shaped hill with a hangar inside so he could conveniently fly in any direction.

By the time he wrote rbe book he knew ahout taking off into the wind, the need for stabiliry, center of gravity, weight-shift for control, the effect of camber in wings, lifr, drag and scores of other aerodynamic mysteries.

With his book he pen· etrated the mysteries and described his experiments.

The main body of Bird flight describes, in Otto's words, the many experiments he did with models, kites, birds and fuJl .. size wings. Here is a fascinating read because it exposes the mind of an ingenious in&· vidual, but also illuminates how we were finally given the gift of fligbr by the lessons he learned from the birds. Ono describes and illustrates the devices he invented for measuring the forces on wings (he ere· ated natural wind tunnels) and how he discovered tbe proper shape for wings.

Otto occasionally develops equations to mathematically describe what he observed, and it's amazing to see how close he got to the currently accepted theory. The math is simple, but the numerically challenged reader can skip the numbers and carry on through the rich text. Otto's writing intrigues with chapter titles such as The Bird as our Model or Surprising Phenomenon Observed when Experimenting with Curved Surfaces in the Wind. It also offers a glimpse into how the experimenter of the day worked with tools and materials locally available, manipulated with ingenuity.

All through the book you can read of Otto's

fascination with birds and their behavior, and he delves into flapping flight with experiments.

One of the most interesting parts comes near the end where he sets down 30 points summa·· rizing what he has learned as a basis for future experiments to continue. His first one: "The design of practical flying machines is not absolutely dependant upon the provision of' powerful and light motors." lie would smile to see our form of aviation.

Gustav gets the first word and also the last word. He produced an addendum for the book after Otto died, and some time after the Wright Brothers' success. He speaks of the potential dangers they discovered and describes the popularity of gliding in Germany. He also analyzes one of Otto's later flights (on a 150 square-foot wing, getting a wind··assisted glide of' 16.G) as well as a flight of the Wright Brothers. Here is an elder statesman surveying the field of endeavor he helped start.

Included in the book arc the multiple photos Otto published of him flying his various craft as well as diagrarns of'his hill and flight paths. These visual treats help solidify the reality of what he achieved as a lone visionary in the wilderness ofignorance and unre·· quited desire by the masses to reach for the sky.

Otto alone took the first big step to free us from our fetters. He paid the ultimate price and left us with a legacy and last quote worthy of any hero: "Sacrifices must be made."

Otto's sacrifice made our dream come true. I recommend bis book for anyone who has an inkling of the dream and wants to know a kindred spirit as well as whom to thank.

Birdflight As The Basis Of Aviation is available

from USHGAfor$J<J.<J5 O!lusSIH). Call I800-616~6888 or order on our website at u;u;w. ushgc1. org. II

HANG CIIDING

USHGA 2001 HANG GLIDING CALENDAR· Outstanding photography. Reg. $10.95 ......... 1lb

PR!<::J; $5.00

,}HANG GLIDING FOR BEGINNER PILOTS by Peter Cheney.Official Training Manual.250pgs.2lb ,".-TOWING ALOFT by Dennis PagenlBill Bryden. Covers ALL aspects of towing. 372 pgs ........ 3lb HANG GLIDING TRAINING MANUAL by Dennis Pagen For the beginner/novice pilot. 350 pgs.2lb PERFORMANCE FLYING by Dennis Pagen. For the Intermediate-Advanced pilots. 340 pgs . ... 3lb UNDERSTANDING THE SKY by Dennis Pagen. THE most complete book on micrometerology.2lb INSTRUCTOR'S MANUAL by Dermis Pagen. Hang gliding, used in IP's. Plenty of illustrations .. 2/b i:'t-THE ART OF PARAGLIDING by Dennis Pagen *NEW•. Covers ALL aspects. 274 pgs .. ...... 3lb PARAGLIDING-THE COMPLETE GUIDE by Noel Whittall. Comprehensive, color. 200 pgs ... ... 2lb PARAGLIDING-A PILOT'S TRAINING MANUAL by Mike Meier/Wills Wing. Covers all aspects.2lb RIGHT STUFF FOR NEW HG PILOTS by Erik Fair. Reprints of Erik's HG column. Classic ......... 1lb DOWNWIND by Larry Fleming. Share the experience of over 20 years of hg flight... .......... ........ 1lb A RISK MGMT MANUAL by M. Robertson. Includes Charts/Reliability. Become a better pilot!. .. 1lb DELUXE FLIGHT LOG BOOK 4.25" x 7" 68+ pages. Log over 270 flights. ....... .......... 3oz FLIGHT LOG BOOK The Official USHGA flight log bool<. 40 pages. Log tl1ose flights! .... 2oz CERTIFICATION BOOKLETS Document your skill level sign-offs. Specify HG or PG. ........ 2oz

$29.95 $29.95 $29.95 $29.95 $24.95 $15.00 $34.95 $26.95 $19.95 $ 8.95 $10.95 $ 9.95 $ 6.50 $ 2.95 $ 1.95

,'<TO FLY: DISCOVER HANG GLIDING TODAY Special promotional video. (10 min)... ..... 1lb ,'<GROUND HANDLING & The Art of Kiting Instructional. Learn techniques & tips. (44 min). .1/b ,}A HIGHER CALLING Superb paragliding XC adventure in Nepal. Excellent editing. (45min). 11b ,',THE PERFECT MOUNTAIN Spans the globe in search for the quintessential site. (44 min) .. 11b c"rBALI HIGH Exotic paragliding adventures in Indonesia. (38 min) ................. ... 1/b ,',WEATHER TO FLY Dixon White educates us on this very important subject (50 min) ........... 1lb TURNING POINT HG & PG Tame the elusive alpine thermal. Beautiful Euro footage.(24 min) ... 1lb AERONAUTS Hang gliding documentary, great effects & interviews. Fantastic video.(43 min) .. 1lb ......... 1lb SPEED GLIDING:TEAR UP THE SKIES Great camera angles & animation. (24 min).

STARTING HANG GLIDING Basic preparation, attitude & what to expect. (30min). ...... .... 1lb STARTING PARAGLIDING Basic preparation, attitude & what to expect. (30min)......... . .. 1lb DUST DEVILS Fly with the Womens World Hang Gliding Team in Chelan, WA. (24 min) .......... 1lb PARTY AT CLOUDBASE A hang gliding music video, set to hard driving music. (20 min). ........ 1lb MASTERS AT CLOUDBASE A paragliding music video, set to hard hitting music. (20 min) ....... 11b TELLURIDE AEROBATICS Follow the dynamic history of this event, from "81-95". (50 min) ..... 1lb FLY HARD Rob Wl1ittal & C. Santacroce paraglide the westcoast. Rock soundtrack. (36 min) ... 1lb BORN TO FLY HG action Meet Larry Tudor & Green team, fly Owens, Sandia, etc. (50 min) .. 11b PG: THE MOVIE Owen's Valley world competition. Hot action, rockin' soundtrack. (40 min) .... .. 1lb CLOUDBASE PARAGLIDING Great intro. video. Meet the hot pilots, fly the hot sites. (36 min) .1/b HANG GLIDING EXTREME Fly spectacular sites in the US. Meet the top pilots. (50 min) ......... 1lb

$5.00 $36.95 $32.95 $36.95 $29.95 $39.95 $35.95 $29.95 $24.95 $29.95 $29.95 $19.95 $19.95 $·19.95 $24.95 $35.95 $34.95 $35.95 $34.95 $34.95

QTY .T.otal Weight-TOTAL $_ __

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All our videos are in USA/VI-IS NTSC format only

WINDSOK™ 1.5 oz. ripstop nylon, 5'4" long w/11" throat. Pink/yellow or pink/white (circle one) .2lb $39.95 ZING WING Flying toy. Launch it skyward and watch is soar.. . ... 8oz $ 2.50 WINDSEEKER Hang glider flying model. It loops & soars. Lots of fun to fly, you'll want two ..... 8oz $ 3.00 USHGA EMBLEM DECAL Our original logo, in its original colors, on a 3" circular sticker ......... 1oz $ .50 LICENSE PLATE FRAME I'd Rather Be /-fang Gliding or I'd Rat/Jer Be Paragliding (circle one) .. 1lb $ 6.50 PAYMENT must be included with your order.

NON-USA orders must be in U.S. FUNDS drawn on a U.S. BANK! SUBTOTAL WEIGHT (for shipping)

SHIPPING (USA)

CHARGE MY VISA or MASTERCARD

Up to 2 LBS ADD $5.00 2.1-4 LBS .. ADD $6.00 4.1-6 LBS .. ADD $6.50 6.1-8 LBS .. ADD $7.00 8.1-10 LBS .ADD $8.00 Over 10 LB .. Ca\1/fax/email NON-USA SHIPPING-Ca/I/lax/email

$____ _ $ _ _ __

SUBTOTAL Colorado residents add 3% tax ~--------···--Shipping (see chart) " ' - - - - - · -

1330, Colorado ,n,nnrH> www.ushga.org fax (719) -u""T U d £..

:WWW.

HANG GLIDING ADVISORY Used should always be disassembled before time and inspected cardi,lly for fatigued, cd downrubes, ruined bushings, bent bolts the heart bolt), re-used Nyloc nms, loose thimbles, frayed or rusted cables, with 11011-circular holes, and on flex wings, s:tils

AEROS STEALTH OLFG RACER 151 Comp glider, carbon crossbar & mylar sail, all orange billboard undcrsurfacc, 50 spare downruhcs, AWESOME, priced ro sell $2,200 OBO. (!i 15) <,6/i5989.

toru or l-orn loose from

their anchor points front and back on the keel and leading edges. If in doubt, many hang gliding business-· cs will be happy to give: an objective opinion on the them to inspect. condi1ion of equipment you Buyers should select equipment that is appropriate for their skill level or New pilots should seek a USJICA CERTIFIED !NSTRUC:TOR.

Alc'.ROS TARC:ET 16 Exccllcnr condilion, 7.5 hours, wheels, cx1ra down111bes included $2,000. Dan D 17) 299-8836.

AFROS STEALTH 151 Blue/yellow, low hours, excellent shape $1,500. Call Scott (909) 672-6 I:lS, skyl11casQ1)yahoo.com AFROS STEALTH [II OLECRACER 142 Every option) very low time, condition, sweetest h<m-dling, fosrest lowest price $2,750 OBO. (706) 398 2467, AEROS STEALTH II I 51 Marrix cloth, very fast, billboard white LF, red w/hlue undcrsurfacc (Aug '00 centerfold) 65 hours, $2,390 OBO. Sacramento CA. Cell (91 80IJ-4063,

FALCONS CLEARANCE SALE School rnc, one season. All sizes $1,250 $2,500. (262) /il}-8800,

(262) 1in 8800, info@hanggliding.com

AIRWAVE XTRFME <20hrs, blue/white, minr condition, stored inside, MUST sell $1,800. Bob

FREE PVC GLIDER STORAGE/TRANSPORT TUBE With the purchase of aoy new (517) 223,868:l, Cloud9SAftlaol.com. Largest selection of

or Steve (}05) li29-02 n, '"'"""'"'''' ALTAIR SATURNS lli7, 167 Rental gliders at /light low hours, clean, priced to sell. (262) 47:o8800, DOUBLE VISIONS & FLY2 New and used.

WALLABY RAN CJ I (863) li2/i-0070. a1 fl igh r park, low (262) 17:J-8800,

hours, clean, priced to

rct{).._s('.l!yal lO().co1 n

AEROS STEALTll III I 51 ·· - Lare 2000, matrix cloth, auto-lowering sprogs, ALL THE RACE GIZMOS, _ hour total time. Gc1ting our of comp asking $3,100 OBO. Sacramento CA. Cell (916) 8014063,

FALCON 195 l'crfou condirion, bought 5/99, 50 flights $2,100. (865) 882-3(,<)(), crf'Q1lrnindspring.com

SHARK, BLADE RACE, STING, AIRBORNE BUZZ. New and nearly new. Demo daily. THE WALLABY RANCH (863) li2/i-,0070.

AIRWAVE Kli 60 hours, blue/green $800.

Highland Acrosporrs (Ii 10) 6}/i-2700,

FLEX WINGS

FALCON 170 60 hours, 3 years old, grear condition, folding bascrube, will ship OHO. (91i9) 7')5-0li2.1, rnallcnec(tllm:1llcttcc.co111 Somhcrn California.

EXXTACY NEW &. USED IN STOCK, DEMO DAILY, WALLABY RANCH (863) 421-0070.

FALCONS 140, 170, 195, 225 new and nscd.

WALLABY RANCH (86:0) 12/i-0070.

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: 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 dale of the issue in which you want your ad to appear (Le,, June 20 for the August issue), Prepayment required unless account established. No cancellations or refuncls 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:

MJS[ON 150 Fxccllcnt condition, blue/black/white $2,500. Jim (623) 581-0145, JodiWbitclaw I Q1\,ol.corn FUSION li21t-0070.

Demo daily. WALLABY RANCH (863)

GLIDERS 35+ for sale, rigid ro surface.

Call/email for current list. Wallaby Ranch (8(i3) 12/i0070 l'lorida, ]·]PAT 145 Old but sweet, red/white/blue, flies grem, 100 hours lc/i $'i00 (lBO. (91i9) 795-0li21, mallcrrec(almallettec.com Sm,rhern (:alifornia. l!PAT lli5 999-1177.

1992, excellent shape $1,400. (If 15)

H PAT IIi 5

Good condition, new leadiug cloth $')95.(262) 473 8800,

Number of months:------------- -·---SECTION IJ Flex Wings IJ Emergency Parachutes IJ Parts & Accessories IJ Business & Employment IJ Miscellaneous

rJ Paragliders IJ Videos

IJ Towing

rJ Schools & Dealers IJ Ultralights Rigid Wings IJ Publications & Organizations CJ Wanted CJ Harnesses

Begin with ··--···-···-----···-···-19_____ . issue and run for-·-·----·--······-· consecutive issue(s). My lJ check, IJ money order is enclosed in the amount of$ NAME: -·-·---·-·-·-···--··---··--·--···"--·-·-···--··-·---·-----··-····--ADDRESS:·--·-·-·---· CITY:

Number of words: ____________ _ Number of

44

,,. @$.50

·--······-··--············· -·· ·-· ·-······· @$1. 00 =

USHGA, P.O Box 1330, Colorado Springs, CO 80901 (719) 632-8300 • fax (719) 632·64·17

HANG CLIDINC

KlASSIC: llrli Excellent condition, grem climb r,nc $1,500 priced ro sell. (5/i I) 50/i 5/i 16.

LJ\MTNJ\R iii Snpcr handling, good glide $1,500.

(619) li:17-669'), cchoaQ1lmsn.com

SUPFRSl'ORT 153 S11pcrne:H c11stom sail, very low homs, WW fin included $ I ,'JOO. (262) liTJ-8800,

HJc;J I ENERGY TRACER POD 111\RNESSFS Sizes & styles mo11thly, $300-500. C:orno11s $200 each. LMFI' pod, 5''J" $/iOO. & s1iralso available. (262) iiTl-8800,

SX'i Near 30 hours, bl11e/ycllow $2,500. Highland Acros1,ons (,i I 0) (,'.3/i-2700.

LAMINAR -- ST, 11, U in stock. WALLABY RANCH (863) li21i O()l(l.

MOSQUITO HARNESS -- Never used .r,,ooo. Call Orlando S. (Ci 16) 297.-690 l, MC:/Vi.s;i accepted.

LA MOUETTE TOPLESS I J Creat glider for light pilots. c;ood condition, buili summer ol'''J'J, 100 homs $3,000. Contact Clair,· (8 lli) li22 058'), pagc11hksG1llazerli11k.n,m

WWZ5 -- Only $500 OBO. Run (31 O) Tl'J-'i:lli8, dcnironG2C?hhot mail.con1

MOYES CSX SX, XrI., XS3, XT, etc. New and nearly new. Available immediately. Na1iun's Moyes dealer. WALLABY RANCH (863) 424-0070.

AIR SPORTS US/\ WWW.F!YFORFUN.NET

l'ARAGLJDERS

1\IRWAVF P/\RJ\(;J.ll)ER -- Excellent condition, w/rcscrve plus helmet $1,500. (707) 998· 1800.

MOYES SONIC: l (,5 llluc/rcd, near new $2,500.

MOYES XT PRO l (,5 The mo,kl hcfore tl1c SONIC, two available $ l, 500., $2, l 00. (262) /iTl-8800,

RIGID WfNGS I 00 gliders in s10ck. l .ooko11t Mou11tain, ww\v.l1anglidc.com

MOYES SX4 -- Crc:n condition, puq,le/whi1c, very low homs $2,),00. (262) /iTl-8800, iufo~;lJ1anggliding.com Exccllcm condition $1,2.00 OBO. MOYES XL 115 010) 577-5201 x:1.n MOYES XTR;\I.ITF 1:37 l'xcell"111 condi1ion, ] 996, one owner, I 50 hours max, 111ust sell $':JOO. (9/0) 5/ili-3600 Aspen, Colorado.

MOYES XTRJ\IJl1' U7 Near new rn11di1 io11, 20 homs, whi1e LF wi1h whitc/rn:mvc nndcrsurface, mylar upper, cxlra dowmulic a11d bascbar $1,900. (81i5) C,.19·

LJJ:rn.ASl'ORT 117, 166 ----- Rental gliders at flight park, low hours, clean, priced 10 sell. (262) liTl·-8800, infoCfr)J1a11ggliding.cnm

ATOS David davidQDclavidglover.co1n

(1:lO-:l<,')8,

(71 '))

EXXTJ\CY 160 Red, good condi1ion, '':)') tip levers, never dspars $5,:lOO. ('ill!) 'J'!:l 2108, n1sLumpc?t\1cp.com

VISIONS & PULSES - - llough1-Sold-Traded. Raven Sky Spores (2(,2) lil.l-8800, info~ilhangglicling.com WILLS WING FUSION SP Carbon rnnrrol framc1 inserts, rwo spare carbon down" 111bcs. 1\11r:1ctivc asymmetrical colors: Large blue/red WW/yellow tip. Very good condition, only LlOO miles, 70 hours on the clock since 1/00. For Ha11g !is ONJ.YI $5,500. Pe1c Ll'hmann (li12) 66l<lli/li,

CJ IOSTBUSTER Like new, 20 homs, retracrablc flaps plus extras $6,500 Ol\O. Must sell! W (760) 77.1 8988, I I (760) 'J/iJ87')9.

Like ucw condi1ion, BRS parn1raining wheels & regular wheels, car rack $/,500. Out East

chu1e, rudder rwo transport (819) 565-7249.

325/i.

M ITC:! I Fl.I. WlNC:

MOYES XTRJ\IITF llt7 J\11 white $ l, l 00 OllO. (2(,2) liTJ-8800, i11f,,(i1lh:111ggliding.rn111 MRX2001 LJ\MfNARS /IRE !!ERE Fxperie11cc pe1fonna11cc flex wing av:tilablc. New and used STs also available. (760) 721-0/0 I, and www.ic:uo2000.com l'REDJ\TOR 1/i) - 301m $3,000. (80B) 8:lii-7/ili l, tesl fly in I lawaii.

WW SPORT AT I <,7 -- Very good condition, gree11/whi1c/hluc, ripsrnp 1raili11g edge, flies great $850.

Joe (81il) 895-5858 llliuois.

U1; !'RALi GHTS

\)(!\VXC: 1!i2 ---- 120 homs, sail in greal shape, rcd/black/111agcn1a, folding baset ubc, will ship $1,800 OBO. ('Jii'J) 795-0!i7- J, mallettec(1lmalk1 rec com Southern ( :alifornia.

EMERGENCY l'ARACHlTl'ES

['Ince I (,5 SPECTRUM CI.F/\RJ\NCI SJ\LF in 11car 11cw condi1io11, w/all op1io11s ,800-$2,600. 011e 11/i $1,500. Raven Sky Sports (262) lil.\-8800, STE/11:J'l l 2 1 I Aeros ads $:l,000.

2/00.

STF/11 TH Kl'L UO -- 80 homs, red/white $).,000.

Highla11d J\crosporrs (Ii IO) 6Yi 2700.

Aucusr 2001

AIR SPORTS USA WWW.FLYFC)RFlJN.NEf' Brand 11cw never flown MJ\VFRIC:K Ti<fKE $ I0,000 OBO. (734) Ii 39-11 O,.

1

WWXC: H2 Very low hours, clean, near new condition $2,/iOO. (7(,2) liTl-8800, infovllhanggliding.com

PULSFS & VISIONS ---

SPECTRUM 1(,'j !11cl11dcs tail kit, new 11osc cone, great co11ditio11 $1, ':iOO or looki11g for Ultraspon 1C,G. Eric, ha11gchccl,('1lyahoo.com

18: 1 pod for self launch included $:),JOO. 3121.

;,o CORF Jl[)J\

TRI l<E ----- Set up for :ierornwiug hang gliders. All acccssoric:s, llRS, includes nice slow flying L1 Moue1 tc wing. Crear way 10 start a new aerotow club. $8,900. ('50/) 89'5 /i21i0, xchawkvilaol.corn

HARNESSES

DOODLE BUG Motor harness, sales, service, instructio11. l)ealers welcome. www.llylOl.com (702) l(,()/050.

CJ JUTES (970) Gli lHARNESS EXCI !ANGE 'J:l 1 http:/ /g111111iso11glidcrs.co111/

1

WANTED

HIGH ADVENTURE Hang gliding, paragliding school. Equipment sales, service, rentals at Southern Calif'ornia's mile high site, Crestline. USIIGA lnstrucwr Rob McKcfl'lic. By appointmcnl year rnu11d.

(909) 883,81i88, www.flytandern.com

COLORADO AIRTIME ABOVE HANG GLIDING

l'ull-time

lessons, sales) service. Colorado's most cxperil'.nced!

Wills Wing, Moyes, Altair, Aeros, Airwavc, High Energy, Ball, l'lytcc, Connections and much more, Call (303) 67/i-2451, Evergreen, C:ol,mdo Airtime!·!( ;@'aol.com CONNECTICUf

LARGEST JIANG GUDING SHOP ln the West!

Om deluxe retail shop showcases the latest equipment and has two virtual reality hang gliding flight simulators. We stock new and used ... Wills Wing, Altair and Moyes gliders, and all the hottes/ new harnesses. Tradeins a re welcome.

Om comprehensive trni11ing program, located at the San Francisco Bay Area's finest beginner site features: gemly sloped "bunny hills," Wills Wing l'alcons of all sizes and comfortable training harnesses!

"FfRST Fl.f(;J-IT"l 5 minute video tom of om begin· ncr lesson program shows a stndcm's skill progression $20 (shipping included).

1116 Wrigley Way, Milpitas CA 950.35 (nMr Srm/ose). (li08) 262- !055, fax (408) 262- 1388. mission@hang-gliding.com www.hang,gliding.com

MK!i needed. J,800,688,5637.

SCHOOLS & DEALERS

NATIONAL SCHOOL NETWORK RJNc;s LOCALLY. For informarion call David (719) 630· %98, davidG'ildavidglovcr.com ALABAMA

G

LOOKOUT MOUNTAIN FLJ(;JJT PARK ad under Georgia.

Sec

L

OEr~PORT

2800 Torrey Di~.90 .'imee 1928

MOUNTAIN WlNGS

Look under New York.

FLORIDA

USIICA CERTIFIED TANDEM INSTRUCTION

By Gregg McNamec. J\crorow training & ratings.

Dealer for all major flight and acrotow equipment, 1.5 homs from Disneyworld. Call (352) li89-9969. fly@graybirdairspc,rr.s.co1n www.graybirdairsiiorrs.co11\ LOOKOUT MOUNTA[N FLICHT PARK

Sec

ad under Georgia. Nearest rnountain training center to

Orlando (only 8 hours).

CALIFORNIA DREAM WEAVER IIANG GLIDING Train on starc·-of,thc·art WILLS WING FALCONS. LESSON PACKAGES: One four hour lesson $100. Three fom hom lessons, plus tandem off' 2,000ft. $300. J'ivc lessons for $400. Ten lessons plus tandem $750.

Complete lesson programs. Year,round instruction.

Launching and landing and thermal clinics available.

Call for group rates. Tired of hiking your glider! l'll help you! Dealer for Wills Wing, Altair, High Energy Sports, Ball varios, Carnclbaks and more, We love trade-ins. I'm your northern California MOSQUITO l!ARNF.SS DEALER. If you live in central through northern Calif<,rnia, give me a call or email to schedule your Mosquito demonstration or clinic. Call or email, scheduling lessons five days a week, Friday through Tuesdays. Ideal training hill, up to I SOft., 600ft. mountain. 1,200ft. mounraiu. Tandem instruction.

USHGA Adva11ced Instructor DOUG PRATHER (209) 556-0li69 Modesto, CA. drrnwvrhg(blsofi.com. t\Ct FLY AWAY JIANC GJ.JDING Tammy Bmcar (BOS) www.flyabovcall.com/flyaway.l1tm

Santa Barbara.

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THE HANG GLIDING CENTER 6312 Malcolm Drive, San Diego CA 92115, (619) 265-5320.

46

HANG GLIDlNG AND PARAGL.TDTNG lJSHGA certified insrmction, tandem instruction, sales, service, repairs, parnchmc and site toms. San Diego's world,class soaring center. Visa and Mas\erCard acccprcd, Call (858) 452-9858 or roll free 1,87'7-FLY TEAM. Check us om and order onlinc ar

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Bad instruction

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I.earn foot launch skills safely and qnickly. Train at world famous Dockwciler with professional Beach training slopes (5 minnrcs from LA airport.) Fly winter or summer in gcnrlc coastal winds, soft sand and in a thorough program with one of America's most prestigious schools for over 25 years.

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QUEST /\IR SOARlNC CENTER~ Your vacation location, (352) 129,02 n. fox (:$52) 429!\811(). Visit our website at: www.qucstairforcc.com or

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also harnesses, varios, ere.

BIRDS IN PARADISE & ultralight flying on Kauai. Certified t,rndern instruction. (808) 822-Yl09 or (808) 639-1067, birdsQhJ,irdsinparadisc.corn www.hirdsinJ>aradisc.com

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HANC CLIDF CHICACO hill service acrop,trk, tow planes. Full time ccrri11cd instructors, ultralight instructors, East Coast record 21 :l miles. (815) li95

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min.s., camping, hot (312) '.JG() 0700, (815) RAVEN SKY SPORTS Ii 89-9700 or (262) liTl-8800. 2 hours from Chicago, 90 minutes hom F.lgin, Palatine or l.ibcnyvilk. The best instructors, the best equipment, the best results in the Midwest. 7 days/week, March thru November.

Training program for combined/integrated foot launch and aerorow certification. Apply I00 1Yc, of your intro lesson costs to certification program upgrade! Please sec our ad under WISCONSIN.info@hanggliding.com

showers, sh:1dc trees, sales, storage, rmings, XC retrievals, grcar wcathcr climbing wall, trarnpolinc, 1

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Flights of over 200 miles and more than homs.

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Visit us on the Web: IHtp://www.wallaby.com Please call us for references a11d video.

1805 Dea11 Still Road, Disney /\rca, Fl. 33837 (86.3) 42/i-0070 phone & fax (ly(a)wallaby.com 1-800-WALI./\BY Conservative• Reliable• Sratc of the An

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INDIANA l'l II.I. J-IOOK-UPS 1.aunclry, propane, recreation room, 1-800-80:o-7788

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Our specialry-cttstomcr satisfaction and fun with the BEST F/\Cll.lT!ES, inventory, camping, swimming, volleyball, more! hir a flying rrip, intro flight or lesson packages, Lookout Mountain, just outside Chattanooga, your COMPLETE training/service center. Info? (800) 688-LMFP.

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AUGUST 2001

47

Continued ji-om page 33. to gee around the cloudbank, both Jim and Randy landed. Jim touched down in Hopewell, New Jersey for a splendid 50 miles on a paraglider, while Randy landed just short of Princeton, New Jersey for 53.3 miles. Randy's other two flights were also from Little Gap, and 33.4 and 21.8 miles in length.

Second place in the Sixty Mi le C lass was taken by Mark Gardner who owes it all to Mom. Well, to Mothers Day. Just as he did last year, Mark made his longest flight of the spring on Mo thers Day, this time flying 50.5 miles from High Point, across West Virginia and into the Shenandoal1 Valley. H e landed just two or three miles fro m the popular Woodstock flying site. Flying his Klassic, Mark added a 26miler from High Point and a 23-mi.ler from the Pulpit to achieve his total of 99 .5 miles. Marc Fink was in third place flying his Icaro MR 2000 for a total of 74.2 miles.

ROOKIE CLASS The winner of chis class was Terry Spencer, a new pilot who is demonstrating the makings of a good X-C pilot. Flying a Wills Wing Fusion 141, Terry managed not only to win chis class with his total of 94 miles in three f:1ighcs , but also made the tl1ird-longest flight of the contest. His long flight of 70.2 miles was made from the Sac in east-central Pennsylvania to Conowingo, Maryland in 2:42. The flight began wi th a low scare after launching, but after chat he was often high and finding solid life. Add to chat the fairly strong

wind aloft, and he was cruising. In fact, it would seem that his principle problem during the flight was his uncomfortable harness and chat he was freezing much of the time. The cold and fa tigue were bad enough that around the 50-mile point he made a long crosswind glide with the intention oflanding at a small town that he figured would at least have some food.

However, when he was down to about 500 feet over the town he blundered into a ripping thermal and just went with it. That thermal got him another 20 miles by which time he could see the Chesapeake Bay ahead of him. Bue he was simply too tired to continue, and chis time did land.

With that excellent flight Terry became the first pilot to promote himself all the way from the Rookie C lass to che Open Class for next year.

In second place was Ed Reno on a Wills Wing Ultra Spore with a total of 45.4 miles. Ed's best flight was one of 21.9 miles over the back at the Pulpit. Technological luddice Bacil Dicken, flying his vario-less Vision Mk. 4, took third in the class with a total of 40.1 miles, of which his longest flight was 16.8 miles from the Sac.

capable a cross-country machine a paraglider can be. Jim has in the past already breached the GO-mile mark on a paraglider, and this year he produced a best flight of 50.0 miles from Little Gap, Pennsylvania. H is fl ight has been alluded to in the above account of Randy Leggett's flight. After a late start due to a morning overcast deck, Jim enjoyed generally excellent conditions. He was often as high as 7, 000' MSL and never low. T he latter likely explains how he managed to stay out in from of Randy for the first two-thirds of the flight. Despite the excellence of his flight, Jim and Randy are dreaming of hitting the beach on the Jersey shore a further 40 miles down the road. His ocher flights of 11 .3 and 7.4 miles were not of the same magnitude, but the mere face chat he managed three cross-co untry flights distinguishes him.

Behind Jim were the only two other paraglider pilots to register flights, Marc Fink with a 3.4-mile flight, and LE Herrick with one of three mil es. Marc's flight reflects a rare biwingual contribution to the co mest that qualifies him fo r third place in two classes, the Sixty Mi le and th e ParagLider Classes.

PARAGLIDER CLASS

This year's contest drew 51 contestants of whom 28 submitted flights. Those flights totaled 1,662 miles, a respectable figure for a mediocre eastern spring. Ironically, the weeks immediately after the contest's closing dace produced some very long flights. But that's a story for another tin1e. •

This category represents a first in the contest's history. Paraglider pilots have been welcome to enter for several years now, but until chis year the minimum of five entries had never been received. Flying an Ozone Octane glider, Jim Maze, the wi nner of the inaugural Paraglidi ng C lass is to be commended for demonstrating exactly how

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MARYLAND

TRAVERSE CITY HANG GLIDERS/PARAGUDERS FULL-TIME shop. Certified instruction, foot launch and row. Sales, service, accessories for ALL major brands. VISA/MASTERCARD. Come soar our li50' dunes! 1509 E 8th, Traverse City Ml li9684.

Offrring powered paragliding lessons & dealer for the Explorer &. used unirs. Call Bill at (231) 92.2-2.814, Visit om paragliding school in .Jackson, Wyoming. Call Tracie m (307) 7:l'.J--8620.

SlJSQUUJ-fANNA FUGHT PARK - Cooperstown, NY. Certified I nstrnction, Sales and Service for all major manufacturers. 40 acre 5 training hills, jeep rides, bunk bouse, camping, hot showers, 600' NW ridge. We have the best facilities in N. New York state to teach you how to c/o Dan Guido, Box 2.93 Shoemaker Rd, Mohawk NY 13407, (315) 866-6153.

NORTH CAROLINA

MINNESOTA Baltimore and DC's full time flight park Tandc1n instn1ction1 solo acrotows and equipment sales and service.

We carry Aeros, Airwavc, Fligbt Design, Moyes, Wills Wing, High Energy Sports, Flytec and more.

Two 115 HI' Dragonfly ntgs Open fields as for as you can sec Only I to 1.5 hottrs from: Rchobodt Beach Baltimore Washington DC Philadelphia

RAVEN SKY SPORTS (612) J,i() .. J800 or (2.62.)

473--8800. Please sec our ad under WISCONSIN. NEVADA ADVENTURE SPORTS Sierra soaring at its best.

Tours and tandems available. [nstruction from certified lJSHGA instructors with years experience. Sales, service and instruction by appointment Carson City/Lake Tahoe NV. (775) 88.'l-7070 http:/ /homc.pyramid.net/advspts LAS VEGAS AIRSPORTS

XC CAPITAL OF THE CAROLINAS (82.8) 632.--9810 foothillsf1ight@hotmail.com

lJSllGA certified hang

gliding instrncdon. Sales and service) boat tow, mountain soaring, XC. (702) 2.60-7950,

,

www. vinuall1osts.11et/han g.htm Come Fly with US! NEW JERSEY Ph 410.634.2700 Fax Ii 10.6:l4.27'75 2li038 Race Track Rel Ridgely, MD 21660 www.acrosporrs.net l1angglidc@aerosports.11et MARYLAND SCHOOL OF JIANG GLIDING, INC. Cerrified instrncrion, specializing in foot launch. Dealers for Wills Wing, Moyes, High Energy, year-round instruction.

(410) 52.7-0975, www.1nshg.com MEXICO Year-round, summer in Momerrey, winMEXICO ter in Valle de Bravo. 1-800-861-1198,

MICHIGAN CLOUD 9 SPORT AVIATION Acrotow specialism. We carry all major brand hang gliders. PREE PVC storage!tr:mspon tube with new glider pttr· chase. Now in stock: Wills TALON COMP!, XC 155, Falcons; Moyes Litcspecd 4, Sonic 165; Magic Kiss 154. Omrigger wheels and other accessories in stock.

Call for summer tandem lessons and flying appoinrments with the DraacbenFliegen Soaring Club at Cloud 9 Field. 11088 Coon Lake Road West, Webberville, Ml 48892.. (51'7) 2.2.3-8683.

Cloud9sa(qlaol.com. http://membcrs.aol.com/ clo11d9sa MICHIGAN SOARING VALUE with the best combination of SERVICE, QUALITY & PRICE. ALL major brands of gliders and gear. Call Doug Coster (2.:l 1) 882-474/i, wingmanii'rlrravcrsc.com

50

MOUNTAIN WINCS

Look under New York.

•

NEW YORK

AAA FIIGHT SCHOOL MOUNTAIN WINGS I ELLENVILLE AIR SPORTS. Full service shop, flight park, 4500ft. tow ilcld, winch and aero rowing, ran de ms, U. L. trnining. Airwave, Alrair, Moyes, Acros, karo 2.000, Flight Star U.L., MOSQUI-TO powered harness, WOODY VALLEY harnesses in stock.

The original V-MJTTS $2.9.00. mtnwings@lcatskill.net or (8ii5) 647-3377 www.flighrschool.net, 150 Canal St., Ellenville, NY 12.42.8. The most complete HG Pro-shop in the Norrh Easr.

AIR SPORTS USA NYC's first and only certified hang gliding, paragliding, microlights (trikes), powered paragliding. Distributors for Avian. Dealers for mosr major brands. Full service and equipment at best prices.

The most friendly service in the area. Store address: 29 :l 1 Newtown Ave., Astoria NY. Phone (718) 7000, WWW.FLYFORFUN.NET Fl.Y ll!G!l HANG GLIDING, [NC. Serving S. New York, Connecticut, Jersey areas (Ellenville M tn.)

Area's EXCLUSIVE Wills Wing dealer/specialist. Also all other major brands, accessories. Certified school/instruction. Teaching since 1979. Area's most INEXPENSJVE prices. Excellent secondary instrucrion ... if you've finished a program and wish ro conrin-uc. Fly rhc mountain! ATOL towing! Tandem flights!

Contact Paul Voight, 5163 Scarsville Rd, Pine Bush, NY 12566, (845) 744 'l317.

• TANDEM [NSTRlJCTTON • AEROTOWING • BOAT TOWING • Bl'.ACH RESORT • TRAINING CAMPS • FOOT LAUNCH • OPEN YEAR ROUND • PARAGLIDING • FQUIPMENT SALES AND SERVICF

(800) 334-4777 NAGS HEAD, NC lnternct Address: hnp://www.kittyhawk.com E-Mail Address: ml<oli"kmtvhaw!k.c, PENNSYLVANIA I ITGHLAND AFROSPORTS

Sec Ma1yland.

H/\NC GiiDINC

MOUNTAIN TOP RECREATION Certified instruction, Pittslrnrgli. (112) 7(i'7,IJ882. C'MON our AND PLAY! MOUNTAIN WIN< ;s

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PUERTO RICO PLY PUERTO RICO Team Spirit I lang Cliding, H(; classes daily, randcm insrruction available. Wills Wing dealer. Clidcr rentals for qualified pilots. PO Box 978, Pnnta Santiago, Puerto Rico 007/i L (78?) 8'i0· 0508, tshgt?rlcoqui.ncr TENNESSEE

UTA!!

WASHINGTON

CLOUD ') SOARlNC CENTER~ The nation's largest :rnd hang gliding shop, i.s now offer, iug hang g11idc services) repairs and sales :11 Point the Moumain, Utah. Contact us for an information packer or stop by the shop. (801) 576· 61i60, inl,,~11 paragliders.corn 12556 S. Minmeman Dr. 111 Draper, UT 8/i020.

HANGTIME · · Dealer of the MOSQUITO powered h:irne.sse.s, C:all for CLINIC dares. Right here in the paciJ,c nonhwcst. (509) 525,35'/li, lhl,rownt?hbrni.ncr

Utah's only foll service bang WASATCH WINGS school, Point of rhc Mountain, regional moun,, tain sites, towing. Dealer for Acros, Airwavc, Altair, Wills Wings and mnch mote. Call Zac (801) L.'i'<· 1•1

~'L wi11gs(?1Jwas~1td1.corn

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VIRGINIA

TEXAS

• YEAR··ROUND SOARI NC • EXCELLENT XC Fl.YIN(; • TANDEM INSTRUCTION • AERO TOWINC:/THREE TUGS • DRAGONFLY/TRIKF INSTRUCTION • INTRO FOOT LAUNCH CLASSES • l'A!l.AGLIDfNG TOWS • WINC:11 TOWING FlY,lNS AND CLINICS • SALES AND SERVICE• 600 ACRE FACILITY Steve Burns 979.279. 9382 email: sburnst?tlalpha l .ncr 800B Pinc St., Hearne TX 77859 Fred Burns 281.471. 1488 email: aus1inairV1\tol.com 3810 Bonita I .:rnc, La Porte TX 77571

IIJLL COUNTRY PARACI.JD!NC INC Learn complete pilot skills. Personalized {)Sil CA certified training) ridge soaring) foot & tow launching in central Texas. MOTORIZED PARAGLIDING INSTRUC. T!ON & EQU!PMF.NT AVAJLABLE. (915) :Jl'J· 1185. l li75 CR 220, Tow TX 78672.

KITE ENTERPRISES

Foot launch, platform

launch and acrorow instruction 100.

sales)

rcmals and repair. Ai,wave & Wills Worth and north Texas area. 2 I 1 75002. (972) 390,9090 nights, weekends, www. k i te-cnt erprisc:s.co111 TOTAL AIR SPORTS ... Area's OLDFSJ' Wills Wing dealer. ( :enified instruction available. "l only DEAL with WILLS". 16121 Lakeview, Houston TX 770/iO. (71 :l) 9.'37·8<i I Ii, roralairsporr IO&>hotrnail.com

AUCLJST 2001

RAVFN SKY SPORTS HANG CLJD!NC AND PARA(;LJ])[NC; The Midwest's Premier aerotow flight park, founded in 1992. l'earnring lNTEGRAT ED INSTRUCTION of' foot,lannch and aerotow tan· dcm skills, at package prices 10 beat in rhc USA. Seven bcautifol, grassy training hills :ill wind directions. Four

tow planes> no waiting!

!;our u1ndcm gliders 011

undercarriages. WW

hilcons fi,r training (i'orn the very /irst lessons. USUA 1111 ralight and mg instrucrion. hcc S,dcs/scr· vice/accessories for all hrands. Open March thru Novernhcr. Contact Brad PO llox IO 1, Whirewat.cr WI 53190 (262) 47:l,8800 phone, (262) 17:l,880 J fax, www.h:rnggliding.com, i11fovo!,a11ggliding.com

Bl.lJF SKY Fnlltimc instrnction and service at Manqnin Hight Park near Richmond. Wills Wing, Moyes, Flight l le.sign, Acros and Airwavc gliders, Mid, ArL111ric Mosquito dealer. Srcvc Wendt (5/iO) 432· 6557 or (80/i) 2.li l ·432/i, www.bl11eskyhg,com, bl11cskyhgQ1lyalHm.com

HlCl 11 .J\N D AFROSPORTS ~- Sec Maryland.

KITTY l IA WK KlTFS ···- Sec North Carolina.

JUST NORTJJ.WFST - Of Milwaukee. Acrotow and winch training. Tandem instrncrion hcgin· ncr to tandem landing gear. All major brands of gliders and gear (Ii I Ii) 975,7873, www.surf:.air.com Herc to keep you safr: and happy!'!

PARTS & ACCESSORIES AER OTO WING ACCESSORIES - Sec TOWJN( ;, THE WALLABY RANCH (863) lt2/i,0070.

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CCl.. HANC CLIDINC'!' ... Jeff !font. Austin ph/fax (512) li6T·257.'J jcrfc,Nlyrcxas.eom www.flytexas.com

WISCONSIN

FLY AT VIRGINIA'S NF.WEST TOTAL FLIGHT PARK MANQUIN offers aerorowing, tandem lcsson.s, plarform truck rowing, training hill and scomcr rowing for rhru adv:mced pilots. Certified instruction, equipment sales, service and repair rhrough "BLUE SKY" Virginia's leading hang gliding school.

Try '.'\·axis flying with cerriGcd ultralight instruction "FLY RAWLING", learn ro fly and soar the

AMAZJNCLY LOW PRICES Bobl?hl,rokcrforyo11.co11,

.. On all Ball varios!

Jmt honrs sonrh of Washington DC, minutes l\'E of Richmond. Free camping and close to fast food, rcstau· rams and Kings Dominion theme park.

Visit wv,w.ll,Jucskyhf,.ccm1.

(510) SIi.VER WINGS, INC. ~ Certified instruction and equipment sales. (703) 5'.>3,1965 Arlington VA, silvcrwingsli:111gglidi11g.com

BEST 12" WIIEELS AV/111.ABI.E -- Super rough, lightwcighr, a must for r:tndcm flying. Built-in wheel. $1i2.'J5, quantity bushings. Only lJSA,huilt discounts. lrnmcdi,11e delivery. Lookout Mountain, (800) 688,LMl'I'.

51

l!AWK A[RSPORTS !NC P.O. Box 9056, Knoxville, TN 37940-00'5(,, (865) '),i'i,2625. World famous Windsoks, as seen at the Oshkosh & Sun,Nhm FAA l'ly-lns. l lawktrr\vindsok.com, www.wi11tl.w)k.con1

• ORDER ONLINE AND SA VE Water/Dust Rcsistallt Push Button l'ickl Replaceable l'inger Switch ' I lcavicr Gauge Wirc/1 mproved Plugs 'Increased Strain Rdicfat ALL/oints

World's smallest, MINI VARIO Clips to helmet or chinstrap. 200 hours on 018,000 ft., fa.st response :rnd ), warranry. Creal for p:11·agliding roo. ONLY M:dlctrcc, PO Box S,111ta Ana CA, 9),735. (71/i) %6-12/iO, MC/Visa accepted, www.mallettec.rnm

Price $119.95. Extra flngcr switch $19.95 w/11m1·c11:1sc.

Dealer inquiries welcome. Call (91:l) M( :!Visa. Visit our website :u www.flightconn.co111

AU. ACCESSORIFS IN STOCT<! r:lyu:c /i005, Quantum 330, call' Low prices, fost delivery! (;unnison Gliders, 151i9 County Road 17, Gunnison CO 812:oO. (970) 61i 1-'J3 l 5, http://gunnisonglidcrs.com/ JlM i,F.F. !\RC HF.IMF:!'S Ot\\ of production, bm not out of' demand. One is brand new, never used $:350. Two others, used $200 each. (262)1i7.'l-·8800, inf,,(i1lJ1a11ggliding.con1

OXYGEN SYSTEMS

The world-class XCR-180 opcr:11cs up to :l homs Q1lJ 8,000 fr. and only /ilb. Complete kir wid1 harness) cannula and remote on/off IIO'Nl11Ct(;t, only $/i00.00,

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DON'T GET CAUGHT LAND[NC DOWNWIND! 1.5 OZ, UV treated, 5'4" long w/11" rhro:11. colors fluorcscc111 pink/yellow or fluorescent $:J'J.95 (+$5.00 SIi l). Send to USHCA Windsok, P.O. Box J:-J;JO, Colorado Springs, CO 8090 l 1330, (71 'J) (i32-8300, fox (719) 63?. <,Ii I VISA/MC accepred.

BUSINESS & EMPLOYMENT

Calif'ornia dream .. insrruc1 students at 1hc: San Francisco Bay area'~ premier site. Service shop crn1pl<lyrner11 is also available. for Pat Dcncvan (/i08) 262-1055. MSC! J(;(ril:101.com www.l1ang-glicli1lg.con1 l'UBLJCATIONS & ORGANIZATIONS

KlASSlC OR CONCEJYJ' WlNCLETS Two pair.

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mounts

I .!\MINAR PARTS We have wb:ll you need and we arc comrnincd to same AV8 Call (760) 77. J .()'7() I or email at in,!:islky~·l)y:d10,o.,:om

saw

52

1n

Camera mount $1i8.50. Camera remote (ask abou1 rebate:) $4'5. Vario mount $23. G" wheels $29.75, 8" wheels $:J!i.]5, Add $4 S&] I per (US) included. TEK FLIGHT Products, Colebrook Stage, Winsted CT 0(,098. Or call (860) 379-1668. Fmail: rck@sncr.ne1 or our page: www.reldligbr.com

lll\G IT' If you don't have your copy of Dennis l'agcn's PERFORMANCE l'LYINC ycr, available USHCA $29.95 (,$5.50 s&h for US! !Cl\, PO Box l :l30, ( :olorado Springs C() 80'!01. 1-80() .. <, 16--6888 www.l1sl1ga.org

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TOWING J\FROTOWING /\CCESSORIES . · Headquarters !cir: The finest releases, releases, Spectra "V" bridles, weak links, tandem launch can kits, etc.

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BOJ\T TOWING PRODUCTS line, retrieval kites. (702) 260,7950, WWW. virt 11;1!]1()St S.11Ct /l1a11 g.llt l}l

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DR/\CONl'LY ]l .. MCJDEL KIT Built by !lobby Bailey $ J .l,600. Rot ax 587. fitted and plumbed radiator, exhaust $6,62.G. Electric start, (, black lvo prop with clmch $ J, l 00. Rear scat and coutrols $1,250, Brake kit installed $250. BRS ')00 VLS $2,595. Instrument pack: Alt, J\SI, Tac\10, temp gauges, llobbs $1,017. Painted one color $1,200, Tow system $375. Total $28,0 I :3. J\ 'i(l'Y<, deposit is required. Bobby Bailey can be available for basic training after cornplerion. Kenny Brown/Moyes J\11wrica, 200 llillcrcst Drive, Auburn CA ~%03, (5l0) 888 8622, fax (530) 888, 8708, ilyarnoycsG1\1ol.co1n) www.moycsa1nerica.com

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C:rc,1tcd to show how hang has evolved imo ,1 safe, affordable, and /im way . l'ilmcd ar sever· al major hg schools in the \JS 'This production has my bcsr footage p,ickcd into a short IO mintllc eye opener.

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hill membership $55. Inf,,. kit with $:l. SS/\, P.O. Box 2100, I lobbs, NM :J')2,) 1/7.

on a new rraikr w/ba11crics, all self comained, 3000'

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spectra two drng chutes $1,9'!5 OHO. xdia\\•kV''aol.cc,m, (507) 8'JS.IJ7.IJO.

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1!J\RRY J\ND Tl lE HJ\NG (;UDFR is a hcautirully illustr;itcd, hardcover childrrn's book with !JO colo1 written for pilots to share the dream or flight 1 To send $21i.'J5 plus $.'l shipping to Skylligh Publishing, 20 I N. Tyndall, T11cso11, A'/. 857 J 'l or call ('520) (,28,8 J6'i or visit hnp://www.flash.net/ .. skyhipuh Visc1/M( '. accepted.

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p A Look ciL the SporL of H&KJ Ci/i(Jinc3 Tric Wing and Wliy It Works Sl<ills 10 the HcCJinner I eve/ Sl<1/ls to 111c Novice Level 1:1ying Conditions GlicJinc1 Equipment More al)our ilie i:'rinciplcs of r11gl1t for High AllilucJc· flicJhl Std;lecJ in ,ncinn,1 Tandem ancJ Tow Ivery fli/01 s1-1ould Know Ctlc,<;\;:m1 or Hzmg Tcrrns "As I r1c Pro i:lics"

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53

ing where to acquire weather dara and how to interpret it. This video will help pilots of ,my aircraft understand more about modeling and forecasting. You'll learn about regional and local influences and how to deter-· mine winds aloft and stability. "Weather To Fly" is an ovcr--all view packed with use/ii! derails and includes great cloud footage. It is a straight-forward prcsenration that is easy to follow. 50 min. $'39.95 STARTING HANG GLIDING, by Adventure Productions. Produced especially to promote the sport.

Covers basic preparation, weather, proper attitude, groundhandling, launching and those first flights. :30 min $29.95.

TURNING POINT IN ALPINE THERMALLING, by Dennis Tron/Alpine flying Centre.

50'Yc, HG, 50% PG. Discover technic1ucs to tame the elusive alpine thermal. Beautiful footage set against Enrope's most dramatic mountains. Also 1-catures comments from mp pilots & great animation. 21 min $35.95 Currently our honest selling video!

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Call USHGA (719) 6.32-8300, fox ('719) 632-6417, email: nshgaQilushga.org, or order off our web page www.ushga.org. Please add +$1 domestic s/h (+$'i for two or more videos). Crear to impress your friends or for those socked-in days. Perfect gift for the launch potato turned couch potato. Also, ask us about om paragliding videos!

BOTH FOR $ JO (1 $5 s/h). Check rhe merchandise section of onr web siH: www.ushga.org for a color picture of these bcautifitl posters.

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DON'T LEAVE YOUR GROUND-BOUND EQUIPMENT SITTING IN THE GARAGE. SELL IT IN THE HANG GLIDING CLASSIFIEDS. CLASSIFIED ADVERTISING RATES The rate for classified advertising is $.50 per word (or group ofchar--acters) and $1.00 per word for bold or all caps. MJNfM UM AD CHARGE $5.00. A fee of $15.00 is charged for each line an logo and $25.00 for each pho-to. l.lNEART & PHOTO S1ZE NO LARGER THAN 1.75" X 2.2'5". Please underline words to he in bold prim. Special hiyoms of rnhs $25.00 per column inch. Phone numbcr--2 words. Email or web address .. 3words. AD DEADLINES: All ;id copy, instructions, changes, additions and cancellations must be received in writing 1.5 months preceding the cover date, i.e. August 20th for the October issue. Please make checks payable to USHGA, P.O. Box 1330, Colorado Springs, CO 80901-1330, (719) 632-8:lOO. Fax (719) 632-6417 or email: ushga<i1lushga.org your classified with your Visa or MasterCard.

INDEX Adventure Prod11ctions .. ,............. ,....... 5 Ai rcotcc ... ,........................... ,........ ,.... 27 Angle of Attack ................................. 54 Arai Design ....................................... 24 Dan Johnson .............. , ..................... .49

From the Telluride Festival in 1981, to the modern day freestyle competition. Follow the histoty of this dynamic gathering. $24.95 Call USHCA (7 I 9) 632-8300, fax (719) 632-6417, order from our web site www.ushga.org. Please add +$4 domestic s/h.

MISCELLANEOlJS

Fcx America ..................................... .49 Flyrec .................................................. 9 Hall Bros ............................................. 5 Ifigh Perspective ..... ,,,., ........... ,........... 5 Just Lookout Mm. Plight Park ...... .17,41,48 Mojo's Gear ..................................... .41 Moyes ................................................. 8 Niclscn--Kellcrman ........................... .49 (~uesr Air ............................................ 9 Rocky Mtn. Paragliding ...................... 2 Sport Aviation Publications ................. ?

Team Challenge ................................ 26

"AEROBATICS" - Full color 23"x .'ll" poster featuring John Heiney doing what he docs best-LOOPING! Available through USHCA HQ for just $6.95 (,$5.00 s/h). Fill that void on your wall! Send ro USHGA Acrobatics Poster, PO Box J 300, Colorado Springs CO 80933. (USA & Canada only. Sorry, posters arc NOT AVAILABLE on in1crnational orders.) SPECIAL-Aerobatics poster & Frie Raymond poster-

54

Traverse City Hang Glidcrs ............... 17

U.S. Aeros ......................................... l 5 USHGA .............................. .7,11,43,53 West Coasr Atos .................................. 5 Wills Wing ......................... Back Cover

Phone: 209.543.7850 Toll-Free: 888.530.9940 E-Mail: custsvc@ang leofattack. net Website: http://an9leofattack.net 100% Gu1m111ieed. If not satisfied, return unused tubes for l 00% money back. Major Credit Cords accepted.

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new world record was set at what is being called the 2001 Flytec World Record Encampment (thanks generous support from Steve Kroop' instrument enterprise) On ,June 28th, Davis Straub, reporting from the South Texas site of Zapata wrote, "Mark Poustinchian flew 369 miles for a new world hang gliding record. 11 Flying ATOS after parting with his Ghostbuster, Mark flew mere 10 k1ickB Bhort an even 600 kilometen;. Very nice job, Mark!

••• The big 2001 World Meet (with 9 p:i lots!) history. Naturally, Manfred Ruhmer won again, leading a tr:io Amc:trians who came in . The highest Yankee was Paris Williams in 11th place. More deta:ilB next month. ••• get to other newc,, however, 'd 1 ke to make a cla.r.ificat:i.on. It seems some Aeros fans read my word:3 much differently than intended month.

BecauBe I admire what the Ukraine company has achieved, I feel the need to add a few more words.

Despite many good things 've written about Aeros in Ukraine, GW Meadow's American distribution company, U.S. Aeros, the Stealth series, and their beautiful Stalker rigid wing, some Aeros enthusiaBts interpreted my ,July 2001 column text afl unflattering to A.eroB. Exception was taken to my comparison of Aeros t;o WilJE; Wing, which operates a state·-of art factory. Of course, :Lt remains true that Wills Win.9 is better established and done well for decades. The company can therefore afford the latest in saiJ making gear and ai rame production facilitiefl. A.eros makeB do with much leBs in the way of: fancy equipment and J aclrn the magical Cal:i.f:ornia addrerrn.

Yet it's obvious, bar3ed on their international sales success, that Aeros makes the most of the :facilities they have. In compariflon to other Ukrainian companies I visited on my brief tour, the 11.eros plant is actually quite proper. They don' own the building they' so improvementB are more functional than cornnet:Lc. Their sail loft and other facilities appear well suited to the product:Lon of quality wings and (they also build the Sky Ranger ultralight, which recently evaluate:,d in UltraLigllt F'l.y:ing! magazine). the end, most companies judged by thcc,ir people, and in this regard, Aeros indeed br:irKJl'l rotrength to hanc3 gliding.

Regretf3 to anyone who interpreted my wonfa as negative. ••• Now on to news 0,lsewhere in hang gLLdin9. USHGA leaden, l1ave met in recent. weeks to decide l-.he association' participation in the management of the Air Sports Expo. Tn you juBt returned from another planet, this Expo is the combined air sportB event where we rub Bhoulders with the BaUplane guys, ultralight p:ilots, R/C modelers and other or9anizations. 've been very enthusiastic about this development believe it to be one of the beBt air sports market inCJ ideas I' seen in ... well, maybe forever. A E.!o you can imagine that was delighted to hear concrete action. US Ultralight Ass 'n chief, ,John Ballantyne, preBented a propoBal t:o form a new, independent corporation called Airsports Expo, Inc. Like any Btartup, some fundinq involved to get it going.

However, the inveBtment represents a modest u.se

Aucusr 2001

USHGl\ resources and is balanced by the event's ability to generate revenues. coul.d even become a money maker After many succeBsful years, EAA derives a substantial percentage of total annual revenues from their one .. week·- long Oshkosh A.irVenture airBhow.

A. tentative AirsportB Expo budget was developed and while the future tough to predict, it lookB promising. Prior eventB in Knoxville, Albuquerque, and Jnclianapo1is over '99---2001 give some good information on which to base forecasts.

Even if the expectations are off, the dollar exposure seems minimal for what might do to spread the word to tbe public that air Bports like hang g1iding are fun. If you support growth for our sport, plan to help move this idea forward ... that's my suggestion. A One bicJ<Jie newest group to add its support is the American Modeling Association or AMA. Russ Locke writes, "They are coming to the table as enthusiastic participants. This is a huge group, on the order of 170,000 members II Added to SSA., USUA., and USHGA, the total rises we11 beyond 200,000 total members represented. A group that size can make events work! The next Expo takeB place in Ontario, California.

I'm going; you? Check USHGA. org. ••• Wi11B Wing has now broadened their Talon line with a 140 size aimed at pilots hookinq at 160·215 pounds (though certified weight wi11 probably be 13,5 .. 225 lbs). WW Bays that pilots under a body weight of 160 pounds may prefer the 140; larger pilots should qo for the 150. Pricing and are essentially the same as J wrote in last month' B column about the larger Talon. A Wills also observed the departure of Parifl Williams from Team WW. He'd been a Gponsored pilot and waB made an employee s.ince December of last year, 11 rm that he could help out wit.h production, prototype glider assembly and fliqht testinq durinq the timero between competitione. 11 WilliamB had fl.own the Talon in the Florida meets but was ,,witching to Icaro brand, according to Steve Kroop. 11118 Though he i,m't a Wills Wing dealer, Mountain Wing',J Greg Black is enthusiastic about the WW Condor 330. "What a great trainer," he exclaimed! "We can make anyone fly it on E1at ground in no wind. Now, no student 9oes home without flying because the wind was not blowinCJ... it iB a great confidence builder. 11 Pretty kind words from a quy who competes with local WillB dealer, Paul Voight. A Mountain Wings also announced their new launch on the Ellenville Mountain. "It h, cleared and real big, " writ.eel Greg. They plan two ramps and two natura1 launches. Black secured a 1 O.. year leaBe with option to buy and i L has been insured by USHGA' s site insurance. The controlling club is the Northeast Air Sports Ass'n, or NASA. In addition to l:he mountain launch, a Eull flight school, and the Condor, Mountain Wings is very active in towin,J plus ultralights. You can find a lot of air sports in one place. Info: 845 .. 647-3377 or mtnw:Lngs@catsk:L11.

••• So, qot new,3 or opinions? Send 'em to: 8 Dorset, St. Paul MN 55118.

MesBages or fax to 651 4'i0 0930, or e .. mail to Dan@ByDanJohnson.com. A. PreviouB "Product LineB" columns wi.11 be available www.IlyDancJohnson.com.

TI.IANKSJ_

55

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