USHGA Paragliding Vol12/Iss10 October 2001 by US Hang Gliding & Paragliding Association

furt her

il',abo,tfollow;,gyo,cd"am, ... challenging yourself...

finding your way ... reaching your goals... flying new skies... it's about GOING FURTHER.

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UT84070

PARAGLIDING• OCTOBER 2001

AIR MAIL

CLASSIFIED AD\lERTISING

INCIDENT R PORTS

GLIDER REvlEW: THE ArRFA REBEL by Alan Chucu/ate, photos by Mary Hobson

INDEX ]:0 ADV Rl;ISERS

STAIU USING THE STUFF UNDER YOUR HELMET by Paul, Niznik

VIDEO REvIBw: SPEED To FLY by Steve Roti DISCLAIMER OF W.ARRANTIFS IN PUBLICA-

COVER: Ryan Swan and Eric Reed on launch at the 200 I Paragliding World Champiomhips in Sierra Nevada, Spain. Photo by Josh Cohn. See sister stories on pages 24 and 32.

PARAGUDING INTERVIEWS: RYAN SWAN by Chris Santacroce

TIONS: The material pre-

sented here Is published as part <>fan lnfonnatlon ~ semination service for USHGA members. The

FLYING CROSS-CoUNTRY IN THE Au>s by Bruce Tracy

2001 PARAGLIDING WORLD CHAMPIONSHIPS compiled by Steve Roti, photo essay by Josh Cohn

USHGA makes no warranties or representations

and assumes no llabWty concerning the validity of any advice, oplnJon or rec• ommendation expressed in the material All lndlviduats relying upon the material do so at their own risk. Copyright © 2001 Uniteq State$ Hang Gliding Assn., Inc. All rights tcSerVed tQ P"raglldlng and individual

contrlb\1tors.

OCTOB E R

2001

Gil Dodgen,.. Managing Editor/£ditor-in-Cnief Steve Roti, Contributing Editor Dave Pounds, Art Director Will Gadd, Dennis Pagen Staff Writers Office Staff

Jayne Depanfilis, CEO, Jayne@ushga.org Jeff Elgart, Advertising, jeff@ushga.org Joanne Peterson, Member Services, joanne@ushga.org

GLIDER CORRECTION

Sandra Hewitt, Member Services, sandra@L1shga.org Natalie Hinsley, Member Services, natalie@u~hga.org

LJSHGA Officers and.Executive Committee.:

Jim Zelset, President, jirnzgreen@aol.com Mark ~ergusi)n, Vice President, mark®bi!llvartos.corn Russ Locke, Secretary,russlocke@juno.com Bill Bolosky, Treasurer, bolosky@microsoft.com REGION 1: Bill Bolosky, Mark Forbes. REGION 2; Jamie Shelden, Ray Leonard, Scott Casparian. REGION 3: David Jebb, John Greynald, Gregg Lawless,.REGION 4: Mark Ferguson, Jim Zeise!. REGIONS: Frank Gillette. REGION 6: Jeff Sinason. REGION 7:.Blll Bryden, REGION 8: Doug Sharpe. REGION 9: RandyLeggett, G11off MurnfopJ,. Fe)ipe Arnunategui. R~GION '.!of David Clover; Matt Taber. REGION 11: Kent.RQbtfiSO!.l, REGION 12; P11ul 'v'.oig~t, DIRECTORS Ar LARGE: Jan Johnson; Dennis Pagen; Russ Locke,. St~ve Kro<>p, Aaron Swepston. HONORARY DIRECTORS: G.eoff Mumford, J.C. Brown, John Borton, Pil1,ih.Rik11rt, .Ed Pitman, G.W. Meadows, Bob Hannah, j(l)hn .rJarfls, Larry Sanderson (SSA), Dave Broyles, Gene. Matthews, Ken Brown, Rob Kells, Liz Sharp, Dan Johnson. EXOFFICIO DIRECTORS: Art Greenfield (NAA). States Hang Association. Inc. is ;m air sports organization affiliated with the National Aeronautic Association (NAA) which is the offici;il representative of the Federation A:erQnautique lntern<!tiQri;ile (FAil; .of th!! wQrlcl governing body for sport aviation, The NAA, which repres<!lnts t.he U.S. 11t FA! meetings, has delegated to the USHGAsupervislon of FAl-related paragliding activities such .as record attempts and competition sanctions. · ·

PARAGLIDING magazine is published for paragliding sport enthusiasts to create further interest in the sport, and to provide an educational forum to advance paragliding methods and safety. Contributions are welcome. Anyone is invited to contribute articles, photos and illustrations concerning paragliding activities,. If the material is to be returned, a stamped, self,addressed return envelope must be enclosed. Notific11tiori must be made of submission to other paragliding p!.ibllcations. PARA<:illOING magazine r<,lserves the right to edit contributions where necessary. The Association and publi, cation do not assume responsibility for the n\aterlal opinions of contributors. PARAGUl'.>IN<:i .editorial offices: 31441 Santa Margarita Pkwy., Suite A~256, Ral')cho. Santa Margilrita, CA 92688, phone (Q49) 88873631 fax (949) 888-7464, e,mail: Gf!Dodgen@aoLcom.

The USHGA .is a. memper-controlled sport organizatiQn dedicated to.the exploration and promotion of all focets of unpowerecl ultralight .flight, .an<:l to the education, training.and s11fety.Of.its membership. Membership is open to anyone inter(;!sted lo this realm of'flight, ciues for full. m11mbership ~re $!$9;00 per year (of which $.15 goes to the publication of Paragl/d{ng), ($70 nori-U,S.);. subscription rates only ar~ $35.00 ($46 non-U.S.). Changes of address should bie ser1t six weeks in advance, inclµding name, USHGA number, previous and new addr~ss, and a mailing label from a recent issue.

PARAGLIDING (ISSN 1089-1846) is published monthly by the United States Hang.Gliding Association, Inc., 219 W. Colo.rado Aye., Suite 104, C:olqrado.Springs, CO 80903 (7191 632,8~00. FAX (719) 63J,6417. PERI· OQICAL P()STAGE .is' paid at Colorado ~prlngs, CO and ataddit.[onal malling pr/ices, POSTMASTER: SEND CHANGE OF ADD.R~SS TO: PARAGLIDING, P.O. BOX 1330, Colorado Springs, CO 80901-1330.

OCTOBER

2001

VOLUME

Dear Editor, For clarification, Scotty Marion was not flying a "prototype" during the U.S. Paragliding Nationals this year in Chelan. He was flying a production model Gin Gliders Boomerang, certified AFNOR Competition. A "prototype" or a "one-of-a-kind" glider is used by manufacturers for design and research, is not available to the general public, and generally only factory pilots in top world competition would fly a prototype or uncertified glider. Most of the top World Cup pilots fly production-model competition gliders just like Scotty's, which is tested, certified and available to any pilot who desires the performance. Ryan Swan Super Fly, Inc.

COMP FLYING Dear Editor, Concerning the U.S. Paragliding Nationals in Chelan, we saw almost 100 U.S. pilots compete, the organization was superb, the scenery was gorgeous, and the conditions required the twin virtues of patience and persistence. Who could ask for more? For most pilots, taking part in a competition is the best learning experience going. Here is an example: The first task required endless patience while scratching the rim of Farnham Canyon, with limited chances of success and big prospects for a time-consuming retrieve around and across the Columbia River after an embarrassingly short X-C. In a competition, you go there, you try your hardest, and you scratch all the way to the ground if that's what it takes. At least that's what I did, until I found a magic thermal that took me high and put me on my way again. (Of course, three hours later I did scratch all the way to the ground, one mile short of goal.) I talked to a fly-in participant that evening. He had been planning on flying the task, but when he saw what was happening in Farnham he decided that he would probably get more airtime by cruising around over the mountain, which is what he did. I would argue that he learned nothing, at

12, ISSUE #10

least compared to the pilots who forced themselves to grovel. A couple of years ago, when I first started flying competitions, I was an East Coast P3 who could accumulate endless airtime but didn't have a clue about X-C. I followed Josh Cohn's advice in this magazine and flew as many comps as possible. Now, about eight competitions later, I am starting to do fairly decently. On my better days in Chelan I kicked the butts of sky gods like Josh, Matt Carter, Bill Belcourt and Graham Steele. Granted, I never outflew Scotty Marion, but he had better watch out. It is okay, and fully consistent with good sportsmanship, to try to out-fly other people, to be strategic and secretive, and to measure your success by an objective standard. That's what makes paragliding a sport, and not just a form of recreation. If you're an unapologetic 1ype A personality like me, that's what makes paragliding fun. Tony Patt Boston, MA

TORREY PINES BLOOD DRIVE Dear Editor, On September 2, 2001, Torrey Pines, California paraglider pilots organized a blood drive for the San Diego Blood Bank. Paragliding and hang gliding pilots raised 47 pints of blood in four hours. The San Diego Blood Bank was amazed and very grateful to the local pilots for the sharing. The goal was to raise 40 pints, which they suggested would be a great day. The pilots flew all day, and after landing lined up to donate. Had the flying conditions not been so good we could have probably reached 50 pints, but the conditions remained awesome until after the 5:00 PM deadline, so a few pilots didn't make it back in time to donate. David Jebb San Diego, CA

Be sure to check out the new Torrey Pines Gliderport paragliding talk show on Internet radio, hosted by Gabriel and DavidJebb. For details see the items in our "Update" and "Calendar ofEvents" columns. - Ed.

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RISK AGREEMENT

In consideration of the benefits to be derived from membership in the USHGA, (Pilot) and the parent or legal guardian of Pilotif Pllotis a minor, for themselves, their personal representatives, heirs, executors, next of kin, spouses, minor children and assigns, do agree as follows: A. DEFINITIONS - The following definitions apply to terms used in this Agreement: I. "PARTICIPATION IN THE SPORT means launching (and/or assisting another in launching), flying (whether as pilot in command or otherwise) and/or landing (including, but not limited to, crashing) a hang glider or paraglider. 2. "SPORTS INJURIES' means personal injury, bodily injury, death, property damage and/or any other personal or financial injury sustained by Pilotas a result of Pilot1s PARTICIPATION IN THE SPORTand/or as a result of the administration of any USHGA programs (for example: the Pilot Proficiency System). If Pilotis under 18 years of age, the term" SPORTS INJURIES''means personal injury, bodily injury, death, property damage and/or any other personal or financial injury sustained by Pilot as well as personal injury, bodily injury, death, property damage and/or any other personal or finandal injury sustained by Pilot's parents or legal guardians, as a result of Pilot's PARTICIPATION IN THE SPORTand/or as a result of the administration of any USHGA programs. 3. "RELEASED PARTIES' means the following, including their owners, officers, directors, agents, spouses, employees, officials (elected or otherwise), members, independent contractors, sub-contractors, lessors and lessees: a) The United States Hang Gliding Association, a California Non-profit Corporation (USHGA); b) Each of the person(s) sponsoring and/or participating in the administration of Pilot'5proficiency 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 Pilotlaunches, flies and/or lands; e) Each of the property owners on or over whose property Pilotmay launch, fly and/or land; ij All persons involved, in any manner, in the sports of hang gliding and/or paragliding at the site(s) where Pilot PARTICIPATES IN THE SPORT. "All persons involved" include, but are not limited to, spectators, hang glider and/or paraglider pilots, assistants, drivers, instructors, observers, and owners of hang gliding and/or paragliding equipment; and g) All other persons lawfully present at the site(s) during Pilot's PARTICIPATION IN THE SPORT. B. I FOREVER RELEASE AND DISCHARGE the RELEASED PARTIESfrom any and all liabilities, claims, demands, or causes of action that I may hereafter have for SPORTS INJURIES, however caused, even if caused by the negligence (whether active or passive) of any of the RELEASED PARTIES, to the fullest extent allowed by law. C. I WILL NOT SUE OR MAKE ACLAIM against any of the RELEASED PARTIESfor loss or damage on account of SPORTS INJURIES. If I violate this agreement by filing such a suit or making such a claim, I will pay all attorneys' fees and costs of the RELEASED PARTIES. D. I AGREE THAT this AGREEMENT shall be governed by and construed in accordance with the laws of the State of California. disputes and matters whatsoever arising under, in connection with or incident to this Agreement shall be litigated, if at all, in and before a Court located in the State of California, U.S.A. to the exclusion of the Courts of any other State or Country. E. SEVERABLIUTY. If any part, article, paragraph, sentence or clause of this Agreement is not enforceable, the affected provision shall be curtailed and limited only to the extent necessary to bring it within the requirements of the law, and the remainder of the Agreement shall continue in full force and effect. f. I REPRESENT THAT Pilotis at least 18 years of age, or, that I am the parent or legal guardian of Pilot and am making this agreement on behalf of myself and Pilot. If I am the parent or legal guardian of Pilot, I AGREE INDEMNIFY AND REIMBURSE the RELEASED PARTIES for their defense and indemnity from any claim or liability in the event that Pilot suffers SPORTS INJURIESas a result of Pilot1s PARTICIPATION IN THE SPORT, even if caused in whole or in part by the negligence (whether active or passive) of any of the RELEASED PARTIES.

G. I VOLUNTARILY ASSUME All RISKS, KNOWN AND UNKNOWN, OF SPORTS INJURIES, HOWEVER CAUSED, EVEN If CAUSED IN WHOLE PART BY THE ACTION, INACTION, OR NEGUGENCE OF THE RELEASED PARTIES, 10 THE FULLEST EXTENT ALLOWED BY LAW. I have read, understand, and agree to the above RELEASE, WAIVER AND ASSUMPTION OF RISK AGREEMENT. Adult Pilot's Ii/nature

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Iifnature ofPilot's Parent or l.epl Guardian i/PJlot under /8 years ofil1e.

Date

MMR 12-97

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TINA PAVELIC AND CHUCK SMITH EARN SAFE PILOT AWARDS

he USHGA would like to congratulate Tina Pavelic of Portland, Oregon for her achievement oflogging 1,000 consecutive safe flights, earning her the First Diamond Safe Pilot Award. The USHGA would also like to congratulate Charles "Ch uck" Smith of Ketchum, Idaho for his achievement of logging more than. 3,000 consecutive safe flights, earning him the Third Diamond Safe Pilot Award.

PARAGLIDING TALK SHOW

orrey Pines Gliderporc is hosting a paragliding talk show on Internet radio, which will air weekly on wsradio, Thursday from 5:00 to 7:00 pm. The show, hosted by Gabriel and David Jebb, will be live and open to a worldwide audience. You can call in on the toll-free line at I-800-327-0061 (U.S. and Canada) or 1760-476-4111 for the world audience. You can also reach the program by going to www.wsRadio.ws and clicking under the "live" section to reach us on-line. The call-in traffic will help us to guide the show's topic direction, so please feel free to contact us on Thursday. This is a new adventure in promoting paragliding to worldwide sports enthusiasts. We appreciate your support and hope that you'll tune in! Contact: David Jebb, Director of Operations, 2800 Torrey Pines Scenic Drive, San Diego, CA 92037, (858) 452ZULU (9858), www.flytorrey.com.

FLYMEXICO NEWS "\Vfinter '01-'02 is coming and when W it's cold or raining where you are, the flying is great in Valle de Bravo, Mexico for hang glider and paraglider

pilots. Whether flying thermals and crosscountry from El Pefion or ridge soaring while overlooking the lake and town at La Torre, this year will see more activiry than ever. A center of operations is nearing completion and parts of it will be in use this year. Meson de! Viento (House of the Wind) will have 12 rooms, parking, glider storage racks and lockers, a cafe and shop, pool, grill and garden. There is also the Casa Cabrones Complex with two houses overlooking the lake for additional rooms. The El Pefion del Diablo site is under the management of FlyMexico and a new, open, "piano" landing area has been set up for more secure landing. Transportation is arranged to and from the airport and normal week packages involve flying in and our on a Sunday. Bring your friends, girlfriends, spouse and family as the town and surroundings offer many diverse activities and points of interest. Visit the inside of an extinct volcano at Nevada de Toluca, hike to the Monarch butterfly sanctuaries and see unbelievable numbers of orange wings coating the trees and flitting about everywhere you look. Mountain biking, sailing, cascades, horses, arresanias and many restaurants help complete the picture. Flying takes place every day and there is an international competition, the Copa Milenio, in February. Valle de Bravo, Mexico is a winter Mecca for the airsports we enJoy. Contact: www.flymexico.com, jeff@flymexico.com, 1-800-861 -7198 or (512) 467-2529.

PARAGLIDING ACADEMY

A new flagship retail shop and paraglid.1"\.ing academy has opened at worldfamous Point of the Mountain, Utah. The Super Fly Paragliding Academy has been launched! The Academy is operated in conjunction with many of Utah's premier instructors, including Ken Hudonjorgensen, Scotty Marion, Kevin PARAGLIDING

,...~ d;:~~~ THE ART OF PARAGLIDING

by Dennis Pagan $34.95 Covers all aspects of paragliding. Equipment, ground handling, Judgment, techniques, froubleshootlng, soaring & more,\lilliiii• 274 pages, 248 illustrations, 86 photos. 2/bs

PARAGLIDING-A PILOrs TRAINING MANUAL by Mike Meler/WIiis Wing $19. 95 Covers all aspects of paragliding. Equipment, beginner skills, techniques & more. 2/bs.

DING THE SKY . $24.95

on mlcrometerology for

Of photos & illustrations. 2/bs. UAL

SPEED TO FLY raglldlng XC. In. lib. $39. 95

Biernacki, Dale Covington, Bo Criss, Ryan Swan, Jeff Farrell and Chris Santacroce. The Paragliding Academy will emerge as the nation's foremost paragliding center, offering comprehensive pilot training programs, tandem flights, maneuvers training, towing training/certification, tandem pilot training and powered paragliding instruction. The Paragliding Academy is the closest shop to the Point of the Mountain and is supported by the Super Fly, Inc. distribution and service center just minutes away. In the history of paragliding in the U.S. , there has never been such a collection of experience, diversity, professionalism and personality under one roof. With one National Champion, four U.S. Team Members, two USHGA Examiners, maneuvers experts and veteran paramotor instructors all at your service under one roof, the Paragliding Academy is an ideal choice for aspiring pilots and certified pilots who want to further their skills. The Point of the Mountain is the finest and most consistent training site in the country, soarable 340 days per year. Contact: The Paragliding Academy, 13203 S. Minuteman Drive, Draper, UT 84020, (801) 816-1372.

CALLING In Nepal. . $32.95

HOMETOWN BOYS GO TO EUROPE

IGH the .95

uper Fly pilots Chris Santacroce and Othar Lawrence recently went to Switzerland to compete in the Red Bull Vertigo competition. This is a "team" synchronized aerobatic competition over water on the east end of Lake Geneva. With zero practice time, Chris and Othar were still able to fly their Ozone Octanes to third place! Congratulations boys. Full details are available at http://www.redbull-vertigo.com/.

GIN NEWS

A speed kit is now available for all sizes of the Nomad. It ..t\.includes thin lines (upper lines only) and trim risers (three cm trim). The kit is certified Afnor Performance and is DHV load tested. Trim risers are also available separately. The Bongo trim risers are now certified Afnor Biplace. The advantages of using the trim are more speed, faster inflation in minimal wind or a tailwind, and sportier handling. All Bongos are now delivered with trim. The Genie II is now being shipped with new, thicker back protection, offering increased safety. Accessories are now listed at http:/ /www.gingliders.com/products/genieII.htm. The Bolero and Bandit are now produced exclusively with Porcher Marine Skytex fabric, as are the Nomad and Boomerang. DHV and Acpul certification is complete for the new fabric.

PARAGLIDING

au dry by Peter Reagan

've always wanted to do a report on reserve deployments. Here are some interesting examples.

DESERT MID-DAY THERMAL SITE A relatively inexperienced pilot launched into a small thermal cycle on a DHV 1-2 glider and started to turn. He reported a sudden, large, right-sided deflation and immediate reinflation as he swung under the glider. The resulting surge caused the wing to go below the horizon in front of the pilot and the lines went slack. As he swung back under the wing the pilot noted a left tip cravat and immediately entered a spiral dive. Weight shift and right brake were ineffective as G-forces mounted rapidly. The incident had started at launch level, so the pilot deployed his reserve immediately. Downplaning ensued. The pilot tried to disable the glider with the brakes but gave up because the pressure was too high. He was swinging forward and facing away from the hill when he impacted in steep dirt on his Mousse bag and escaped injury. This incident may have been preventable by accelerating a bit more away from the hill before turning, and also by more skilled surge management. This can be taught to inexperienced pilots under radio control. Otherwise, one must build experience through long periods of practice in milder conditions. It is reasonable to reassess this pilot's decision to launch into this particular site's notoriously active noontime air. Disabling a glider while under a reserve is another big and controversial topic. The goal is to avoid deployment in the first place. Once this has happened, it may be easier to haul in the glider by a wingtip line. HIGH MOUNTAIN SITE, X-C CONDITIONS (L&V, STRONG LAPSE RATE, BUILDING AFTERNOON VALLEY WINDS) Twelve pilots gathered and launched in three groups of four. Conditions were active, but tolerable, and the group climbed

OCTOBER

2001

fairly easily to several hundred feet above launch, then went on glide. After a while the first group reported encountering sudden, strong headwinds and turbulence, and warned against proceeding. The last group was able to turn and fly in the other direction toward the normal LZ. The middle group was already below ridge level, however, and had to continue. Within minutes they were hit by the conditions described by the first group, which got worse and worse as they descended and tried to penetrate with speed systems engaged. Despite multiple frontal deflations, three pilots landed safely. The last pilot, with an Intermediate rating, suffered a sudden asymmetrical collapse of over 60% at about 150 feet AGL. He started to turn rapidly and threw his reserve. The reserve opened in time, but upon impact a dust devil lifted the pilot back up 10 to 20 feet, then strong winds dragged him at least 500 feet back up the ridge over rocky terrain until he regained control. The pilot's radio and GPS were destroyed, and his glider, helmet and harness suffered significant damage. The pilot walked away with only multiple bruises and an elbow laceration requiring two stitches. What an unenviable situation! Was the speed bar engaged close to the ground? How about the decision to deploy the reserve at 150 feet? Both of those actions may have been optimal for the situation, but perhaps not. The pilot had a hook knife but forgot about it in the heat of the moment. Maybe one should practice reaching for the hook knife right after rehearsing a deployment. The outcome in this case was actually pretty reasonable, considering the risks. Accidents and incidents that befall very experienced pilots seem often to be more complex and epic than the simple errors of beginners, or the disasters experienced by intermediates. This is partly because experts may fly in rougher air. However, they can often remember more of the details of their incidents, and furthermore, they may try more complex and sophisticated resolution strategies. Every year at about this time we get a few reports from the gurus, which follow.

COMPLEX, HIGH-ALTITUDE, LEE-SIDE THERMAL SITE, MID-SUMMER And advanced tandem instructor launched solo at 1:00 PM on a DHV 2 wing. Pilots were getting up out in front. The wind was beginning to blow over the back, but there were still good cycles coming up. Such convergence is sought after for X-C flying at this site. The reporter launched in the same cycle as two other pilots, and they all flew out toward the house thermal. Suddenly, he encountered conditions that resulted in a spin or a spiral and then immediate riser twists. He reached above the brake pulley, pulled the brake line, stopped the rotation, and untwisted the risers. But almost immediately the glider turned hard again, and with twists and a big asymmetric deflation he entered an ever-increasing spiral. He deployed his reserve and was able to pull his balled-up glider into his lap. He drifted under the reserve for over a minute and covered a fair amount of ground before doing a successful PLF into the rocks below (impressive in itself). He walked away. Pilots at launch reported that after this launch cycle the wind came over the back at a steady 20+ mph, and the pilots in the air reported that this was some of the most violent air in which they had ever flown. They had many collapses, and experienced exceptionally strong lift and sink. At lee-side thermal sites there is often only a brief window between up-and-away convergence lift and getting pummeled in the rotor. The pilot had undergone recent maneuvers training and speculates that this may have made him overconfident in more marginal conditions. Glider behavior in violent turbulence cannot be simulated over water in instructional settings, but it should be noted that the pilot was able to manage the riser-twist problem partly because of his training. On strong days there is always a fine line, as conditions build, between great and blown out. At some sites, especially lee-side thermal launches, exploring that border is the way pilots pioneer long X-C flights. On those days, with so much promise, it can be difficult for even the most experienced flyers to control their enthusiasm as this line is approached and the duration of good launch conditions may be quite variable. Visiting pilots need to respect local knowledge, and

even the locals will not always get it right. Once this pilot was in trouble he made a very reasonable decision to deploy after trying to restabilize his wing. His experience illustrates how deployment is rarely the end of the story. He landed in a boulder field in a very alpine area. A PLF under those conditions requires quickness, agility and luck. As hostile as his LZ was, it could have actually been far worse. We all need to evaluate our own ability to cope with this level of complexity and plan our margin of error accordingly. Not enough has been written about the role of balance and athletic condition in pilot safety. This was an accident that could only befall a very seasoned pilot. The event occurred in Austria, but it illustrates several valuable lessons. The conditions described were obviously extreme, and caused glider behavior that one would never expect in a normal situation.

ALPINE THERMAL SITE, MIDDAY A group of very experienced cross-country pilots assembled at a well-known site, famous for strong thermals. They launched at about 5,500 feet and were able to gain about 3,000 feet to cloud base where they assembled in a gaggle to start cross-country. The reporter was flying along the bottom and sides of what he thought was a weal<.ening cumulus (the bottom was flattening and the lift was light), when suddenly he was sucked into the cloud at over 3,000 feet per minute. He entered an intentional spiral dive but the lift immediately increased. He decided to level out. His glasses fogged, and as he was wiping them so he could see his GPS an inadvertent maneuver occurred, and the glider surged such that he met with the lines and the canopy. "I managed to free myself somewhat and ended up falling head down with my legs wrapped in lines and about one square meter of canopy left over my feet. Grabbing for my reserve, which I could not find at first, I remembered being taught to check that you are holding the reserve handle and not the harness webbing. So, I stopped trying to tear my webbing apart, found my reserve handle and deployed while going head down at God knows what speed. It opened with a tremendous whack and I felt like I was on the end of a lashing whip. So does my neck now. While descending (still

in the cloud) I gathered whatever was left of my canopy and radioed my friends. I had to repeat myself three times before they believed me and finally spotted me. While coming down under my reserve the varying winds in the valley made me cross the same power lines several times, but finally I landed backwards on a 60degree slope with low trees (approximately 10 feet) so a PLF was not possible. After grasping for air for a couple of minutes I packed everything in my rucksack and walked to the road." His vario recorded lift in excess of20 m/sec. (roughly 4,000 feet per minute). He gained about 4,500 feet in the cloud. This spectacular incident illustrates again the allure of strong X-C conditions and the reasons one can't assume that a reserve will save the day. The violent surge occurred because of conditions that should never be experienced by a cautious flyer. This pilot's escape from his wing and subsequent, very eventful reserve descent also remind us of the importance of keeping one's head under extreme conditions, as well as the athletic demands oflanding. As usual, prevention would have involved staying farther from the cloud. Cloud base is a seductive and powerful place. More than a few pilots, like Icarus, have been drawn too close, but often we get away with it. It's very difficult to judge when a cloud is too strong. Detailed knowledge of the weather helps, as does a lot of experience, but very seasoned pilots can make this mistake. It's safer just to follow VFR rules. This has the added, very important advantage of being legal. Once in a cloud the forces may get much stronger and the pilot may completely lose orientation, not only concerning direction, but even more importantly, concerning the horizon. This dramatically increases the risk that one may lose control of the glider. The spiral dive probably centered the pilot in the ferocious core. A better response is to fly straight, perhaps with big ears. Once under the reserve, the pilot repeatedly faced the prospect of a powerline landing, but in the end was spared. He later bought a steerable reserve.

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

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airing weekly on wsradio, Thursdays from 5:00 to 7:00 PM. Hosted by Gabriel and David Jebb, open to a worldwide audience. Call in toll-free at 1-800-327-0061 (U.S. and Canada) or 1-760-476-4111 for the world audience. Surf to www.wsRadio.ws and dick under the "live" section. Contact: David Jebb, Director of Operations, 2800 Torrey Pines Scenic Drive, San Diego, CA 92037, (858) 452-ZULU (9858), www.flytorrey.com.

UNTIL NOV. 15: 2001 Region 9

Regionals and Region 9 Yearlong X-C Contest. The Regionals totals three weekend flights in Region 9 from March 17-May 28. The Almost Yearlong Contest 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 $10 and $5 respectively. Contact: Pete Lehmann, lplehmann@aol.com, (412) 661-3474, 5811 Elgin St., Pittsburgh, PA 15206. UNTIL DEC. 31: The Michael

Champlin World X-C Challenge. No entry fees or pre-registration requirements. Open to paragliders, hang gliders, rigid wings and sailplanes. For more details visit the contest's Web site at http://www.hanggliding.org or contact: John Scott (310) 447-6234, fax (310) 447-6237, brettonwoods@email.msn.com.

CLINICS/MEETINGS/TOURS THURSDAYS: Torrey Pines Gliderport paragliding talk show on Internet radio,

THROUGH APRIL 2002: Airplay beginner and advanced classes in Arizona daily throughout the winter. Only one or two beginner students per instructor to provide focus. Advanced clinics covering WX, thermal, X-C, and kiting for P-2 and higher-rated pilots daily. Classes restricted to six maximum. Reservations required. Contact: dixon@paraglide.com, (928) 526-4579. OCT.-NOV.: Airplay Washington open through November (near Cashmere on the east side of the Cascades). Weather history at the Ranch shows that Oct./Nov. can be very good! Beginner classes available during the week and weekends. They only work with one or two new students per instructor, so be sure and get on the schedule right away. Contact: dixon@paraglide.com 928526-4579. THROUGH OCT.: Two-can Fly Paragliding Clinics/Competitions, Point of the Mountain and Utah mountain sites. OCT 27-28: Tandem 11 & 111. NOV. 1-3: Lake Powell SIV maneuvers clinic with Bo Criss, Dale Covington and Ken Hudonjorgensen. NOV. 5-10:

Six-day SIV/maneuvers clinic at Lake Powell, UT. Room and board provided aboard luxurious 72-foot houseboat. Just bring your flight gear. We provide everything else! Contact: Two-can Fly Paragliding, 474 East Tonya Drive, Sandy, UT 84070 (801) 572-3414 (ph/fax), khudonj@uswest.net, www.twocanfly.com. YEAR ROUND: Airplay Arizona open all year (near Flagstaff, AZ). Offering beginner through advanced classes daily. They only work with one or two new students per instructor, so be sure and get on the schedule right away! Advanced clinics covering WX, thermal flying, X-C, and kiting for P2 and higher rated pilots daily. Classes restricted to six maximum. Reservations required. Contact: dixon@paraglide.com 928-526-4579. NOV. 17-26: Chile. Mike Eberle once again leads 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: (206) 3209010. OCT: 24-NOV. 7: Tour to Northern India. Fly The Himalayas at the site that held the world out-and-return record of 135-k for seven years. Manali and Billing are renowned for consistent alpine X-C conditions. This year has seen 90-k out-and-returns and 60-k flights, gains to 6,000 m and thermals to 10 mis, all surrounded by Himalayan peaks. We will visit the Rohtang Pass, 500-year-old castles, and

PARAGLIDING

Paratrek in the Manali wildlife preserve. Brush up on your thermaling and X-C skills with Dale Covington and local flying guides. Visit Tibetan settlements in Bir and Dharamsala, current home of the Dalai Lama. $1,500 includes food, drinks, lodging, guides and all transportation within India. Contact: Dale Covington, Big Sky Paragliding, 1-800-782-9204, (801) 916-6468, bigskypara@aol.com. OCT 26-28: Hawaii, Big Island TuneUp Weekend. Come to the Big Island where Paraguides Hawaii will celebrate their successful first season with a comprehensive tune-up course. Chris Santacroce will help the Paraguides Hawaii team to tune up all aspects of your flying, including equipment, posture, weight-shift, turning, brake input, thermaling, approaches and landings. Extensive simulator work and video review. Contact: Christopher Langan, Paraguides Hawaii, (808) 884-5131 (home), (808) 887-UFLY (8359), Christopher@paraguideshawaii.com, www.paraguideshawaii.com. DEC. 2-28: Fly Nepal 2001. Two 10day tours. Fly the Himalayas! The most stunning, exotic country imaginable. Friendly and consistent thermal conditions. Guidance from Master-rated instructor Dale Covington. Logistics handled by Nepal expedition specialist Kellie Erwin. Limit seven per trip, $1,800. Contact: 1-800-782-9204, kerwin@ida.net. JAN. 2002: Parasoft Paragliding School soaring trips to lguala, Mexico, since 1992. Pilots are picked up at the

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Mexico City Airport. P2's and P3's guided by a bilingual pilot to some of central Mexico's mountain sites with drive-up launches. Perfect safety record: flown every day with no accidents! Included in the trip is transportation, hotel, breakfast and coaching by USHGA Tandem Instructor Granger Banks. Details at http://parasoft.boulder.net/Winter Flying.html. JAN. 6-13, 13-20, JAN. 27-FEB. 3, FEB. 3-10, 2002: Sixth Annual Super Fly Mexico Tours. Seven-day flying tours to central Mexico. The sixth year without a rain day. No minimum experience requirement. Fly four to five different sites. Enjoy first-class accommodations, ground transportation and guiding while participating in a comprehensive thermal and X-C course. Most participants have their personal bests while on these memorable trips. Air-to-air X-C coaching via radio. Everything but food and airfare included. Contact: info@4superfly.com or (801) 255-9595 to reserve a spot. FEB.-MARCH 2002: Brazil tour. 12 days, $1,200-$1,500. X-C flying in winter! Experienced U.S. instructors guide you to one of the premier flying sites in Brazil. (Governador Valadares, north of Rio, is a popular site for world-class competition.) Thermal conditions, light winds and gentle terrain allow magnificent flying from morning until dusk. Whether you fly X-C or locally, it is the best mid-winter flying anywhere. Entertainment and dining. Contact: Ray Leonard, (775) 8837070, advspts@pyramid.net.

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INTRODUCTION This review of the AiREA Rebel is the 10th article in a series of recreational paraglider reviews. The first section of the lead review, which appeared in the November/December 1998 issue of this publication, provides a preview to this series and is recommended reading if you missed the first installment. These reviews also offer pilot educational insights into the understanding of the aerodynamics of paragliders and the techniques of flying paragliders safely. The company AiREA was founded in 1996 when designer Ernst Strobl left UP (Ultralite Products) Europe and formed a partnership with Hagen Miihlich as managing director. Their company philosophy is based on a triad of product innovation, quality materials and service excellence as avenues to fulfilling customer satisfaction. AiREA utilizes two new innovative and progressive features: Closed Cell Technology (CCT) and Multiple Speed System (MSS) . While two other manufacturers that I know of are currently using CCT, MSS has been patented by SYNAIRGY, the new company name for the AiREA product line. THE AIREA PRODUCT LINE AiREA has a limited product line with only three gliders, but the MSS of their two solo gliders gives these wings the versatility to cross over between glider classes, which has never been done before. The creativity behind this original concept is to have two separate connection lengths for the accelerator range. See Photo 1. In the case of the Rebel, the glider is a DHV 1-2, but when the accelerator is set in the long position and is applied with the extra length the Rebel behaves as a DHV 2. Similarly, AiREA's Revolution model makes the crossover from DHV 2 to

DHV 2-3. On the DHV website the Rebel and the Revolution are listed twice in each size with the name of the faster versions suffixed with an ® (meaning registered patent) for model distinction . The

Rebel's only DHV 2 rating and the Revolution's only DHV 2-3 rating which the ® versions receive are on the Accelerated Asymmetric Collapse as would be expected. See Table 1.

TABLE 1 -AIREA PRODUCT LINE

Model

Pilot Category

Accelerator Range

DHV Certification

Rebel Rebel ®* Revolution Revolution ® Cargo

Beginner Beginner/Intermediate Intermediate/Advanced Advanced Tandem

Short Short or Long Short Short or Long not applicable

1-2 1-2 or 2 2 2 or 2-3 1-2

*(Rebel® XL size is DHV 1-2)

The Rebel is available in four sizes: small, medium, large and extra large. I flew both the large and extra-large sizes. With a hook-in weight of about 200 pounds I was centered in the bottom half of the weight range on the large size, and underweight by 20 pounds on the extra-large size. Being light on a glider results in a lower minimum sink rate and a reduction

PARAGLIDING

and parachutes) have open leading edges because the external air is needed internally to rigidify the flexible structure in the absence of a frame. The open leading edge of a ram-air wing is a convenience with lighter weight and compactability and makes for a truly portable aircrafr, but that convenience comes at the price of performance-robbing parasitic drag.

CLOSED CELL EFFECT ON DRAG There are two types of drag, parasitic drag and induced drag. The former is the resistance to movement through the air, while the latter is a byproduct of generating lift. Parasitic drag has several forms which are distinguished by their source. The type of parasitic drag from an open leading edge is known as viscous drag. This is the drag cause by the internal friction of any moving fluid (a gas or a liquid) such as air, which is caused by the friction and shearing action at the molecular level. After a paraglider is inflated, the internal air becomes static, yet the external air around the wing is moving (dynamic). By placing a non-fluid fabric over the air inlet it provides an airflow separator between the static and dynamic fluids. This prevents the fluid shearing action and eliminates this large quantity of viscous drag in the local area where the separator is used. The panel does add to the skin-friction drag generated by the air moving past the canopy's external surfaces, bur the net effect of using CCT is a

significant reduction in total parasitic drag.

CLOSED CELL EFFECT ON LIFT Noc only does closing the leading edge result in a reduction of drag, it increases lift. A wing's leading edge is che most critical portion of the airfoil for the generation of lift in the realm of low-speed aerodynamics. The reason for this is that the majority of the lift is generated by the leading edge acting as the air stream separator between the top and bottom surface airflows. The leading edge of a ram-air wing suffers from a loss of lift because it has a truncated nose. Any structural addition that restores definition or solidity co the leading edge shape will result in an increase in lift. The fabric panel's flexibility exhibits deformation and distortion, as does every paraglider's leading edge due to the impact of the air stream with a resultant loss of lift. So, while the panel may not provide a dramatic increase in the lift, it's certainly an improvement over an open leading edge.

INTERNAL STRUCTURE The Rebel canopy uses continuous diagonal V-rib construction AiREA calls IST (Improved Stabilizing Technology).

AESTHETICS The Rebel is made with French Porcher Marine Nylon and is available with one of four top-surface colors: red, gold, blue and white. The bottom surface has a white background with a contrasting

of all airspeeds. Being underweight exaggerates that performance tradeoff further. Having a light wing loading invites more collapses but with gender consequences (slower rotation and less altitude loss), while a heavy wing loading provides greater collapse resistance bur with more extreme behavior (faster rotation and more altitude loss). See Table 2.

CANOPY AiREA uses CCT on the Rebel as a means to improve glider performance. The left side of Figure 1 shows the AiREA CCT where every third cell is closed at the leading edge. In aviation, only ram-air wings (paragliders

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2001

Photo 1. Rebel accelerator settings. The top riser set in the longer (DHV 2) position while the bottom riser is set in the shorter (DHV 1-2) position.

accent pattern. The accent pattern is the same color as the top surface except for the white top which uses a blue accent. The AiREA black and white logo is placed near the wing tip, and the name Rebel appears in black on the top surface at both wing tips. See Photo 2. The center cell is marked at the leading edge with a black eyeball. See Photo 3.

cially with a large deflection. When viewed from the side in the air, the brake deflection makes the Rebel's normally straight trailing edge appear to be swept back. While other gliders probably exhibit this same trait, it seems to be more pronounced on the Rebel. Some pilots soaring with me first brought this to my attention and had the impression that the glider was some new, higher-performance sail cut. While flying the wing, I couldn't see what they meant. Not until I was ridge soaring closely on another glider near the height of the Rebel wing did I see what the other pilots were referring to. Our attempts to capture this appearance on film didn't due it justice, but I thought I would mention it because of the striking appearance when viewed from just the right perspective. See Photo 4.

AN UNUSUAL APPEARANCE The Rebel's leading edge has increasing sweep at the wing tips. While this is a common planform for modern wings, the appearance becomes more dramatic in combination with the Rebel's trailing edge shape when the brakes are applied, espe-

MULTIPLE SPEED SYSTEM The top pulley of the accelerator can be attached in one of two fixed positions, lower or higher. The lower setting has shorter travel which limits the maximum airspeed to 45 km/hr. (28 mi./hr.) and earns a DHV 1-2 rating. The upper posi-

tion adds 5.7 cm (2.2 inches) of accelerator travel, increasing the top speed to 51 km/hr. (32 mi./hr.). This is about a 13% increase in top speed. See Table 3. Any paraglider speed system can be limited in range of travel by using a knot, or more simply, the pilot can just not extend his or her legs fully. AiREA's more elegant MSS method makes a pilot's transitional growth period during the intermediate level more defined, conscious and deliberate. The advantage of the Rebel over other D HV 1-2 gliders is its isolation of increased airspeed and the associated collapse behavior during intermediate training. An advancing Noviceor Intermediate-level pilot, who has one or more successful soaring seasons of experience using the DHV 1-2 accelerator setting, can now experiment with the faster top speed of a DHV 2 wing while the glider handling at lower speeds remains familiar and constant. It's a wing on which a pilot can incrementally advance his or her skills. The ability to isolate new factors so they are introduced independently is an incremental approach to learning. As an educator, I believe an incremental approach during pilot growth periods will reduce the PARAGLIDING

transition time for pilots experimenting with higher airspeed in turbulence. Furthermore, I believe such an incremental approach will promote this learning more safely than the traditional method of substituting a DHV 2 wing for a DHV 1-2 glider. GROUND HANDLING The ground handling of the Rebel is that of a modern DHV 1-2 glider. It inflates with no hands when using either a forward or reverse inflation, in either no wind or kiteable conditions. The extra large size did inflate a bit more slowly, but that's not surprising since I was underweight on it. Also, any sluggishness may be attributable to the closed cells which reduced cell air inlet area. Inflating using only the inner A-risers can be used to make any split A-riser wing inflate more quickly. The Rebel has split A-risers, which I hope will soon become a universal trend. IN-FLIGHT HANDLING The in-flight handling of the Rebel is again very typical of a modern D HV 1-2 glider. It's firm and predictable. It feels sporty but forgiving. The Rebel is docile enough to be used for student training, but responsive enough to impress pilots moving up from a DHV I glider or modernizing from an older DHV 1-2 wing. BIG EARS When the split A-risers of the Rebel are

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2001

released, the wing tips reopen promptly without pilot input. A pilot can always open any symmetrical closure such as big ears faster than with no pilot input by instantly, symmetrically and momentarily applying full brakes. When ears are used with the accelerator there is a question of which to apply first, the ears or the accelerator. Applying the accelerator lowers the angle of attack and makes any wing more vulnerable to leading edge collapse, so it's possible that applying big ears after the accelerator may inadvertently induce a full frontal collapse when flying in turbulence. The probability of inducing this problem is low, but rises when a glider does not have split A-risers and the pilot is inducing extra big ears (say two of three lines per side rather than just one of three lines per side). The reason for this is that without split A-risers, it's possible that the pilot could pull on the outer lines further, faster or more abruptly than needed and induce the full frontal. Some instructors prudently recommend applying ears first because it first increases the wing loading, which makes the wing more collapse resistant. This is the safest sequence for minimizing vulnerability (collapse potential) when using ears and accelerator together. I experienced no problem associated with the order of use while flying the Rebel in smooth coastal air.

which is to make sure that the removable quick link is closed finger tight on each riser. Finger tight with most or all of the threads concealed it adequate for safety. It's not necessary to use a wrench. It's also important to check that the links are attached at the same position on each riser. While I didn't actually flight test the speed system configured differentially (short on one riser and long on the other), this shouldn't create a serious problem unless you mistakenly apply it fully as you're entering abruptly sinking air. In smooth air, if you attempted to apply full accelerator with this offset configuration you would notice asymmetry in your stir-

A POTENTIAL DIFFERENTIAL DILEMMA Since the Rebel's accelerator is adjustable, this adds another item to the preflight,

rup travel and the glider would start turning. If you encountered strong sink at that moment you would probably get a 50% asymmetric collapse on the fast side. ACCELERATOR CONFIGURATION The speed system uses two pulleys for a 3: 1 reduction ratio, which makes its use easy. The A-riser moves first, followed with a slight delay by the B-riser and the C-riser, with the C-riser moving at half the rate. See Photo 5. SITUATIONAL AWARENESS TRIGGER The difference in the top speed between the two different accelerator settings is significant and readily discernable. It's akin to overdrive. I recommend use of a two-step stirrup with the Rebel, especially when set in the long position. Not only will you need the extra travel, but changing ladder position will also act as a situational-awareness trigger. This should make the transition from the relative safety of flying a D HV 1-2 glider to the lessforgiving behavior of a DHV 2 wing a more conscious and deliberate action of the pilot. PERFORMANCE According to AiREA, the airspeed for max lift-to-drag ratio (LID, which is equivalent to the maximum glide ratio over the ground in still air) on the Rebel is not at trim speed as it is on most gliders, but occurs at a slightly higher airspeed with two cm (one inch) of accelerator applied. I believe that there are other paragliders for which this is also the case, and I see it

as a positive trend for several reasons. 1) From a performance standpoint it's desirable to have the airspeed for maximum LID as high as possible. This reflects a flatter polar curve and will result in a shorter time for gliding to the next thermal on a cross-country flight. 2) It makes performance more effective because glide ratio in a tailwind is maximized at an airspeed lower than the airspeed for maximum LID in still air. In the case of the Rebel, flying at trim speed would be an effortless starting point for optimization. 3) It makes better use of the longer accelerator travel common with modern wmgs. 4) It will force pilots to utilize their accelerator regularly and develop the consciousness that they can and should be flying faster (in still air, headwinds or sink) to maximize their performance. B-STALL B-stalling the Rebel was status quo for a DHV 1-2 glider: rocks back slightly, settles into the descent, and recovers

without an excessive surge. There was no tendency to enter parachutal stall even when released as slowly as possible. SPIRAL DIVE The Rebel spirals predictably and was easy to manage both on entry and recovery. ASYMMETRIC CO LLAPSES With unaccelerated 50% asymmetries, the Rebel rotated somewhat more than 90° but recovered promptly on its own with no pilot input. Weight shifting away from the turn and applying opposite brake naturally quickened the recovery. A DIFFERENT BEHAVIOR WITH CLOSED CELLS The DHV report for the 1-2 version of the Rebel for asymmetric collapses contains a surprising, and seemingly contradictory data item. Most if not all other paragliders besides the Rebel rotate more as a result of a 50% asymmetric collapse when accelerated than when not accelerated. For the medium and large size Rebel (but not the extra-large size) the amount of rotation from an Accelerated Asymmetric Collapse (<90°) was significantly less than that due to an unaccelerated Asymmetric Collapse (90°180°) . AiREA suspects that this is due to the closed cells. I regret that I discovered these data only after the glider was no longer available to me, and that I didn't personally

PARAGLIDI N G

accessible in flight for big ears, and rear riser turns worked well for turning against the propeller torque.

perform this comparative flight test. Reinflation following any collapse is the question of concern with regard to the new CCT, not just with AiREA, but with any and all manufacturers who are exploring this development. The concern is that with fewer air inlets, the canopy may reinflare more slowly, inconsistently, or with complications. This result for the Rebel suggests that the hypothesis is in error and that CCT may improve the relative safety of accelerated asymmetric collapses if it reduces the amount of rotation.

recovers on its own but with a slight delay. SEARCHING FOR PARACHUTAGE USING BRAKES I was able to slowly apply full arm extension with the brakes and the Rebel kept flying, but with a steeper trajectory. Even when releasing the brakes slowly, I noticed no tendency for the glider to enter parachutage. OTHER FLIGHT MODES TOWING

FRONTAL COLLAPSE, A RUDE AWAKENING My first full frontal on the Rebel was really ioud. I must have been unusually amped because I was very aggressive pulling down the A-risers and felt vulnerably low in altitude. I fell back and the wing didn't instantly reopen, so I slammed both brakes as far and as fast as I could and it opened with an unnerving WHACK! Ir was so loud I was concerned that the wing had been damaged. Since the glider's performance or handling didn't seem affected, I repeated the collapse and the sound was the same, although I was prepared for it this time so it wasn't as threatening. I speculate that the air pressure on the inside of the closed cells caused the sound, but all I really know is that it was disturbingly loud. The glider

OCTOBER

2001

I didn't tow-launch the Rebel, but it's DHV approved for it. I do know that Mike Masterson tow launches the Rebel with good success at his school (www.Ad Flyer.com) here in southern California. MOTOR FLIGHT

I flew the extra-large size Rebel with a lightweight SkyCruiser motor (less than 50 pounds fueled) at the coast when the water was showing whitecaps (at least 15 mi./hr.). I fully expected to be dragged during inflation and possibly blown back while kiting or after liftoff, since I was having trouble stabilizing the big wing in the wind while building a wall. However, I was impressed with the glider's prompt inflation. I kited without being dragged or lifted, and I had no problem penetrating after launch. The split A-risers were

SUMMARY The Rebel represents a bold step forward in technical innovation and is a creative challenge to the industry, not in maximum performance, but in applying new technology to improve overall performance and especially pilot safety. Any of the three elements (crossover between DHV 1-2 and DHV 2, Multiple Speed System [MSS], and Closed Cell Technology [CCT]) would have been meaningful alone, but together such progressiveness is both admirable and commendable. The Rebel is a successful crossover between a DHV 1-2 and a DHV 2 glider, which is assertively unique. It does so with an original concept (MSS) that promotes pilot awareness and thereby safety. Increasing performance using CCT may prove to be as beneficial as diagonal V-rib construction. If accelerated asymmetric collapse recovery occurs with less rotation as a result of using CCT, it also improves safety rather than compromising it. This is true SYNAIRGY! The Rebel and other AiREA gliders are available from importer/distributor Xavier and Natalie Girin at AiREA USA in Whitewater, Colorado. They may be contacted by phone at (970) 256-7633 or by e-mail at airea@gj.net. You may also visit www.airea.de.

About the author: Alan Chuculate has been paragliding for more than 11 years and hang gliding for 27 years. He is a USHGA Advanced and Tandem Instructor for both disciplines. He is currently the western distributor for the Para-Lite SkyCruiser powered paraglider, and is also running for USHGA Regional Director in Region 3 (southern California, Hawaii and Las Vegas). Ifyou have questions or comments regarding this article you're welcome to contact him directly by e-mail at AlanC@San.RR.com or by phone in San Diego at (858) 292-1552. •

Start sing The Stu n er Your el et by Paul Niznik

art of the problem is that hang glider and paraglider pilots value helmets for their light weight and sleel~!II~~ design. This market force has distracted helmet designers from focusing on the many tasks a flying helmet should perform. So what does a helmet really need to do, and what can manufacturers and pilots do to inform themselves and improve helmets? We have independent safety certification experts like the DHV and AFNOR for our harnesses and wings - why not for our helmets? Luckily, heads everywhere have a hero in the form of the Snell Memorial Foundation (www.sm£org). Snell was founded in 1957 after William "Pete" Snell died in an autoracing accident as a result of a helmet failing to protect his head. An independent, nonprofit organization was founded with doctors and engineers to improve helmet design through both research and establishing stanRecent injury statistics published in the USHGA magazines indicate dard testing and certification of head protection gear for many sports. Snell certification that head injuries account for about 25% of the injuries in our sport. is now the favored industry standard for the best recreational and racing helmets for Despite the potential gravity ofthese kinds ofinjuries, not much attenmotorcycling, bicycling, skiing, snowboarding, watercraft and even harness racing. tion has been paid by pilots or manufacturers to the protection stanEveryone involved in these sports knows how the Snell research and certification prodards available for helmets used in other sports. gram has improved the safety of their he!that you and other consumers are looking mets. can change that. for the kind of assurances Snell certification Look at Snell-certified helmets the next Pilots can start by voting with their waltime you are in any bicycle, motorcycle, or offers. lets. Money talks. Buy helmets that adhere ski shop. How much and what kind of Our desire for safety has improved harto stricter standards. Some European flying ness and wing design dramatically. padding is used? How is the padding helmets now must meet standards (called EN966 -HPG/UL) in order to be sold in designed to behave on impact? How is the Independent testing by organizations like the the new European Union. These EN966 shell engineered to distribute energy away DHV andAFNOR has helped to inform from your head? Read the literature associat- standards are not perfect, but they are a step consumers and improve safety, and so might Snell certification for flying helmets. ed with the helmet to find out how it works in the right direction. Manufacturers could start working with (most good helmet manufacturers are proud independent groups like Snell. For a nomito explain their design). How do these helThe author may be contacted at mets compare with what you are flying? nal fee, Snell will consult, test and certify pniznik@aolcom. He does not sell helmets or helmets with special consideration for the Odds are, your flying helmet isn't as endorse any helmet or manufacturer, and he is not associated with the Snell Memorial rigors and needs of each sport. If you are in good as you would hope. Many are just shells with cloth linings that are about as a position to discuss helmet safety with disFoundation. - Ed. Ill tributors or manufacturers, inform them effective as a clay pot on your head. But we

PARAGLIDING

,,,

by Steve Roti he opening shots are of clouds, birds and gliders. Jocky Sanderson, instructor, competitor and producer of the wellregarded video Security in Flight, tells us that this is an "educational video that covers all aspects of cross-country flying." In short order we're in the air flying with Jocky as he narrates the skills and knowledge necessary for thermaling and crosscountry flight. In some ways this video is reminiscent of the classic Le Triangle by Pierre Bouilloux, where Pierre reenacted an epic 132-km triangle flight in the French Alps using innovative in-air camera work, both pilot-mounted and air-to-air. Jocky does the same, but the scope of Speed to Fly is geographically larger, as he takes us to world-class flying sites in Manilla, Australia, Valle de Bravo, Mexico, St. Andre, France, Governador Valadares, Brazil, and OluDeniz, Turkey. Throughout the video, Jocky's words of advice are interspersed with visually rich and inspiring flying sequences. An entertaining soundtrack is obligatory in paragliding videos, and this one is no exception. Rock music is the usual choice, but in Speed to Fly Jocky matches the music to the flying site and the conditions. Two dreamlike sequences feature

OCTOBER

2001

the soaring sounds of classical music as pilots circle upward over gorgeous alpine scenery. But this video is much more than just scenery and entertainment; the heart of it is all the tips and techniques that Jocky and the other contributing pilots share with us. During the SO-minute running time of Speed to Fly there are far too many tips for me to mention all of them here, so I'll just touch on a few. Jocky on how turns should feel while thermaling: "Keep it as smooth as possible, as if the glider is flying on rails. You want to keep it very elegant. You don't want to be tumbling all over the place." Jocky also recommends the use of "monitoring brake" on the outside of the turn to control the bank angle and the turn rate, rather than constantly trying to make adjustments with the inside brake. The video makes good use of animated graphics to illustrate some points, for example, a pilot drifting downwind in windy thermals doing running, trackshaped 360's until reaching a trigger where the thermals get stronger and push up into cooler, calmer air above. Another graphic shows a pilot breaking through an inversion layer and climbing to cloudbase, then using his glides to keep himself above the inversion where the climbs are faster. Some of the world's best pilots contribute their words of advice as well. Gin Seok Song talks about preparation, John Pendry about efficient turns, and Chris "Cowboy" Santacroce about getting high. Bruce Goldsmith on finding the best lift while thermaling: "If your are in doubt as to where the best lift is, head back upwind to find the strongest thermal." These are just a few of the hundreds of tips packed into the video. I watched it three times and picked up a few more ideas each time. The video concludes with Jocky saying, "Remember, the best pilot is the one having the most fun." How true that is, and Speed to Fly is a useful learning tool that can help you have more fun as you fly cross-country.

Order your copy from USHGA, $39.95 plus $5 shipping, 1-800-616-6888, www.ushga.org, or Adventure Productions, www.adventurep.com. 1111

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Championships, Moyes factory representative Brett Haslett. Interestingly, he also flies paragliders very well. In fact, he placed fourth at the Canadian Paragliding Nationals last year. The paragliding World Championships lasted for 14 days, and we stayed at the Sierra Nevada ski area, the southernmost in Spain. The event sort of took over the ski area town that is generally abandoned in the summertime. There were three people per room - nice tight quarters. CS: What was a typical day like at the

World Championships?

RS: We had a team-leader meeting at 8:45 AM, then a U.S. Team briefing at 10:00 at

by Chris Santacroce CS: While a lot ofpeople know you, many

don't. Where do you come from? RS: I was raised in Tracyton, Washington. My dad is a fireman and my mom is a librarian. My brother and I grew up in a total "Leave It To Beaver" household. I grew up hiking, skiing and climbing, and was a bit of an "extreme" skier in the early days. Of late, I have been working as a paraglider sales rep and have been trying to get to as many competitions as possible. I have found that I learn a lot of things at · competitions that I can pass on to studencs whom I teach on trips and at courses. I have also coached some advanced maneuvers, tried to learn some more aerobatic flying and learned to kite-surf. Apart from that I have a girlfriend, Sofia, who flies a lot and travels with me. We live in Salt Lake City, Utah and I work for Super Fly. Many people know me from Airplay where I worked before moving to Super Fly. CS: Ryan, a lot has happened for you this year. You flew all over the world, went to the World Championships as team leader and then ended up having to round up a glider at the last minute to fly. You did great, and came back to fly a competition glider at the US. Nationals where you also did quite well. How would you summarize the last six

months?

RS: Lucky! I have been busy and lucky. Busy just trying to keep it all together. Last year I drove 45,000 miles. Lucky, because I got to meet so many great people and see so many cool sights. CS: How about the World Championships? RS: The event we traveled to was the World Air Games, which involved paragliding, ballooning, soaring, skydiving, hang gliding, ultralights, paramotors and more. It just so happened that it was also the World Championships for hang gliding and paragliding. We got to see the hang glider pilots and skydivers during the games. The skydivers came to visit on a weather day, and one day the hang glider pilots had their goal near the paragliding goal. One of the highlights for me personally was chat Matt Taggart (from Ozone), Chris Muller (on the Canadian team) and I had the opportunity to have dinner with the Moyes family. Steve Moyes is still very enthusiastic about flying, just like a pilot at his first competition. It was cool to see Steve doing so well in competition again. After so many years in the sport, it might be a temptation for newer pilots to write him off as a contender, bur they often forget that he was once the world champion and that he can still fly with the very best. We also dined with the lone Canadian hang glider pilot at the World

our hotel, which was often very hectic as everyone was getting up and ready to go fly. At 11 :00 we took buses to one of three different launches, anywhere from 15 to 60 minutes away. At noon, or as soon as we arrived at launch, we set up, laid our our gliders in the best possible position and then went to a task briefing. The launch window generally opened 15 minutes later. Directly after the task briefing we tried to get together for a strategy meeting. Josh Cohn, who was the only veteran of both a World Championships and the site, helped the rest of us with start and course strategy, and it was tough since we all had a short time to get ready to fly. It was important to launch and get up early so that you could fly with the good, lead gaggle. The launch window was open for an hour and 15 minutes. Most pilots did reverse inflations with only a few forwards here and there. It was incredible to ~atch 150 pilots scrambling to get in the air.

The upper launch was at 12,700 feet, and the lower was at 8,000. It was hot on launch, like 90 degrees. There were 150 competitors, the conditions were turbulent, the climb rates were 600 to 1,200 fpm, and the thermals were small and bullet-like. Sierra Nevada is the first site I've flown that doesn't really have an LZ. Sure, there are places to land, bur none are very obvious as good choices. It was generally a GPS race-to-goal meet. There was a cylinder around a start point that you could begin crossing at a certain time, but sometimes there were individual start times, so you could start

PARAGLIDING

whenever you wanted. Restarts were allowed. Josh Cohn and I (along with a large group of over-anxious pilots) did so once, because we crossed the start too soon. Most flights lasted two or three hours. Generally, we used lots of speed system (full speed). On average we used a couple of dozen major thermals during a flight, and there were four or five turnpoints. With I :00 PM launches and three-hour tasks, the valley winds sometimes stopped the slower pilots, forcing them to the ground. You needed to be quick to have a chance of making goal. By the time pilots were landing at goal there was sometimes smoother lift, but almost always stronger wind. Retrieves were easy for teams with vans and drivers. Everyone bought cell phones with which to call organization, since radios didn't work. Vans generally took pilots to central locations where buses would pick up larger groups and take them back. On two occasions I was lucky enough to land near German or Japanese pilots, since they had their own vans and drivers, and almost always had room for additional pilots. My cell phone was stolen before the last day and I felt pretty lost without it. CS: How did you find the skill level in gen-

eral? RS: The skill level was high, but lower than at a World Cup (PWC) and higher than at the U.S. Nationals. Just to give you an idea, there were pilots taking big deflations in the start gaggle every day. Most were aggressive professional pilots on comp gliders. The area around the launch was the main place where thermals were coming off, so we couldn't really spread out. Still, there was enough room for everyone. It was rare that pilots sunk out. CS: What kinds ofspeeds were you all get-

ting en route to goal? RS: Trim was about 30k on my GPS. When I had a tail or crosswind I'd see 50-60k at trim and 70k on speed. I only saw a few big deflations while on speed. Once, I was hands off the brakes all together. Most pilots were gliding without pulling any brake. One cool trick that I learned was to have the speed engaged,

hands in the brakes, but to put my index fingers on the l\s and my pinky fingers on the stabilo line. That way you feel the l\s getting soft and can let off speed, or when you hit some turbulence you can pull on the stabilo a little - all this, so you don't have to come off the speed system, pull too much brake, or run blindly into big turbulence. CS: How about the gliders, what kind were people flying?

pilots who were turning against the set direction in the launch thermal. Others protested turnpoints that were set in potentially dangerous lee-side areas. In addition, there were scoring issues. Sometimes a backup GPS needed to be submitted, and in Eric Reed's case he was not scored on one task after the competition, but had a score for that day during the comp. That has yet to be resolved. CS: Did you receive any good advice that is

worth sharing? RS: Almost all comp gliders. There were only a few pilots flying DHV 2's or 2-3's, and they were at a significant disadvantage because of so many into-the-wind glides. Most people had comp lines. The Gin Gliders Boomerang was the most popular, and there were jokes about it being an "IROC" race. CS: I heard that there were some reserve

deployments. Do tell... RS: There were two deployments and an injury per day on average. Most of the rime it was because pilots got low and in the lee side. Still, two of the deployments were due to collision avoidance. Pilots had to turn so hard to avoid a collision that they would spin their gliders and end up with riser twists that they found unrecoverable. Many pilots indicated that the risertwist problem seemed to be aggravated when flying with a fully enclosed, fully reclined race harness. CS: I understand that some politics played

into the competition, as usual. How about that? RS: The fact that I flew in the comp resulted in quite an e-mail firestorm. On the first day of the competition it became clear that Scotty Marion wasn't going to make it. The team met, and it was clear that I should fly in order for us to have a complete team. I went there as team leader and I didn't even bring a glider, so I bought one and the rest is history. It turns out that some thought we should have consulted with some other people before making the decision. I will likely give up my NTSS points so that everyone feels better about the result. During the competition there were numerous protests. Some were against

RS: Concerning flying a competition glider, .Josh Cohn told me, "Fly with ballast and don't take your hands off the brakes." Pilots had to be within the placarded weight limit of their gliders, and they weighed pilots on launch and landing. Also, pilots couldn't fly with more than 30 kilos added to the pilot weight. Interestingly, pilots preferred big gliders as long as they could be at the top of the weight range. It seems that since bigger gliders have an inherently higher aspect ratio, they naturally perform better even when the wing loading is the same proportionately (a pilot on a smaller glider compared to a pilot on a larger glider). Many pilots were seen dumping ballast on the way to goal, for whatever that's worth. CS: Any other little details for us? RS: Although they threatened to, the organization never did a drug test. Bo Criss was a bit of a hero since he landed in a really dangerous lee-side area to help a pilot with a badly broken leg. The helicopters were a little bit slow in arriving, so Bo nad to take care of the guy for almost three hours and then hike down. Our team looked pretty smart. Josh flew really well and did great despite having to throw his reserve on the first day. I flew well despite being slightly unprepared and on a brand-new comp glider, but I got a decent result. Bo Criss and Eric Reed were strong and smart, and were rewarded with solid results. The rest of our team made really solid decisions and kept themselves safe. Of course, our female team members did great. I am personally very proud of the team. CS: Who won?

PARAGLIDING

RS: Doni Luca won on an Gradient Avax. He is an Italian and an almost-unknown pilot. He was very consistent. Christian Tammeger placed second. He has been a professional comp pilot for a long time and is very perceptive. A French pilot named Olivier Rossel was on his way to winning, but he flew too fast on the last day and landed a quarter mile short of goal. He ended up placing third. Chris Muller from Canada was flying super, but misjudged a final glide one day and ended up a little discouraged. CS: Any super-memorable moments? RS: I was gliding alongside a Chinese girl who took a deflation and proceeded to lose 5,000 feet before throwing her reserve. The coolest task took place when we went to the coast of the Mediterranean. I got to fly with Josh Cohn and Steve Ham during that task. We got to 16,000 feet before heading to the beach on a long glide. CS: What about gear? RS: The most popular harness was the Woody Valley X-Rated full-body harness. The most popular instruments were the Flytec 4030 variometer and the Garmin GPS 12. The MLR is a very interesting GPS with longer battery life and the distinct advantage that it only switches to the next turnpoint (while en route) when you actually arrive at the turnpoint. The other GPS units advance to the next turnpoint before you actually arrive. The most popular glider was the Gin Boomerang, with the Gradient Avax and UP Gambit next in popularity. The Windtech Silex was popular and demonstrated good performance, but produced very average results. The Lazer Jet Stream was the most popular helmet.

quantities of Vodka and Red Bull were consumed, and the night ended with broken glasses, naked South Africans and one fight. The 30-minute drive to Granada for some night life became a popular ritual. CS: Any other amusement? RS: We spent the three blown-out days kite-surfing and skateboarding. A lot of competition pilots are starting to travel with kite-surfing gear. We ate more Paella (rice, seafood, saffron, spices, etc.) than you can imagine. We ended up being a little envious of the best-prepared teams like the French, Germans and Swiss, who brought nurses, doctors, physical therapists, masseuses, drivers, chefs and alternate pilots - impressive! I don't know if you could call it amusement, but two days before the comp ended, while kite-surfing at the beach, our car was broken into and my bag was stolen. Among the items that were stolen were exposed film, clothing and my passport. (I had to bring it to cash a traveler's check.) In order to make the flight home to the U.S. Nationals I drove all night (650 km) to the U.S. embassy in Madrid to get a replacement. I slept an hour in the car, was first in line, and drove back to try to make the next task. CS: Did you make it? RS: Yes, luckily the task had been postponed until later due to weather. I drove straight to launch, and arrived just as the pilots' meeting was ending. With no sleep, two Red Bulls, and 1,300 kms in Eric and Chad's very tired rental car (but with a new passport), I made it. I got the turnpoint information from the team and, against all odds, made goal. CS: When it was all said and done, how did

the really good pilots distinguish themselves from the rest?

CS: How about the organization? RS: Generally, there was a lack of organization. They were constantly behind schedule and the retrieval was not great. Still, we have to give them credit for undertaking a world-championship event. Noel Whittal was the FAI examiner, and he did his best to keep things running smoothly. There was only one big party, sponsored by Ozone. Some outrageous OCTOBER

2001

RS: In the end, it proved to be all about decision-making, not speed, glide, etc. Basically, the good pilots were able to read, analyze and make decisions better. All of the gliders seemed to perform about the same. The climbing and decision-making happened faster for the most current pilots, and for the most experienced pilots even if they hadn't been flying much. Ill

Flying Cross-Country In The Alps b-yBrnceTracy

iesch to Furka Pass. One and a half hours into the flight, and about 15 kilometers northeast of launch, sapphire blue tarns were nestled among glacier-polished granite outcroppings and green meadows. I was scratching up over one such tarn amid cantankerous, errant thermals at 8,500 feet. I had to patiently work this relatively friendly terrain back up to the granite spires above to make the next glacier crossing and continue to my day's goal: Furka

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A few miles to Luokapass: Goimed Lake below, Rhonegletcher to the upper kft, Furkapass to the upper right.

Pass, birthplace of the Rhone River. Patience and active flying paid off. The thermal meanderings ceased 500 feet higher, and I was back at 10,000 feet. The flying was sweet again. There were a few wings ahead, dozens behind, and some pilots were evading cloud suck with spiral dives. To go X-C on this day one would need to venture near clouds of indeterminate height and power. Sailplanes streaked by, alarmingly close, jumping into the perimeter of "my" thermals from time to time. We exchanged waved hellos. The first great glacier one sees on this flight is the Aletchgletcher. At 25 km it is the longest glacier in the Alps. It snakes down from the north from the ice fields south of the Jungfrau, Monch, Eiger and many other magnificent peaks. I thermaled to 10,000 feet in front of the Eiggishorn which forms part of its southeast flank. My route was now northeast, and I was speeding across the tongue of the Fiescher glacier, then working hot thermals close in on the sunny ridges flanking the glacier to its north. Several of these ridge-to-ridge hops over glaciers had lead to my intoxicatingly lovely path over tarns and crags where this story began. Ahead lay the crux of the flight: passing high enough over Grimsel Pass and its large, high lake and then crossing the huge Rhonegletscher (whose melt is the head-

PARAGLIDING

German family brought me within radio waters of the Rhone) to reach Furkapass range of my buddies 20 miles down the 20 miles from launch. Luckily, I was able valley. Soon I shared congratulatory beers to navigate this aeronautical Scylla and with Dave, John and the Wicks at Charybdis, speeding across the glacier Furkapass, then we were back down the with enough altitude to slip over valley to Fiesch for another lovely meal at Furkapass and its outrageous geology with the Hotel Park. only 500 feet to spare. Beyondthepass ,--~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~-, Later that lay my fate: an up-valley wind from the east annals of the terrain and thermal lifr I was counting on to continue farther. Scratching along green, steep slopes, I landed two miles beyond the pass at 6,500 feet, close to launch elevation, amid juvenile Charlois heifers who clanked their bells while jostling closer to sniff my wing. I was just behind a tiny old chapel and only 200 feet from a hotel with cool lager beer. A Swiss pilot from Lucern landed close by, discouraged that he couldn't complete a 100-km flight from Fiesch to the upper Rhine Valley town of Chur. We shared a beer, and I learned a lot about the imaginative flying by great pilots in this paragliding paradise. A short hitch-hike back to Furkapass with a OCTOBER

2001

evenmgwe learned that two paraglider pilots who were attempting this flight path on this day had died in separate incidents approximately 10 and 15 km from launch. I wondered about the compulsion and irony of our passion to fly, and the choices we make regarding conditions and equipment. We had seen a disproportionate number of comp wings at launch in Fiesch. We had witnessed two of them spin in just after takeoff on the previous day. In 22 hours of active flying in the Alps on this trip I had experienced just two or three collapses of 50% or less with my DHV 2 wing. As we've noted before, too many pilots choose to fly wings that are inappropriate for their skill level or the conditions in which they fly. II

The 2001 Paragliding compiled by Steve Roti, photos and photoessaybyfoshCohn

S year the Paragliding World hampionships were held June 8-29 in Sierra Nevada, Spain, as part of the World Air Games (WAG). Sierra Nevada is located near Granada in the southern part of Spain, approximately 30 miles from the Mediterranean. The highest mountains in the area are over 11,000 feet tall and the Sierra Nevada range runs east-west for more than 60 miles. For more information about the event and the flying site, visit the U.S . team's website at: http://www.worlds.paraglide.tv. Most pilots on the U.S. team this year were new to World Championship competition. The U.S . team placed 18th out of 36 teams, a respectable finish when competing against the best pilots in the world. Paragliding magazine asked the team members to share their thoughts about the championships and here they are.

CHAD BASTIAN: THE SIERRA NEVADA IS A FORMIDABLE RANGE Driving on the left side of the road just seems like the wrong thing to do, and the crazy bus drivers in London only make it even more absurd. I hooked up with Eric Reed in England and we flew to Malaga, Spain and our rent-a-car was waiting. Good thing, because it was 2:00 AM and it would have been interesting if they hadn't shown. We drove to Granada, but the directions got a little ambiguous from there. The e-mail said Monachil, but the apartments were actually up the hill at Sierra Nevada. Afrer looking around the little village of Monachil for an hour, trying to get a pay phone to work, we found a little hotel at 5:00 AM and got two hours of sleep. Afrer a really nice breakfast at the hotel, the owner found the location where we needed to go, and we were on our way. Today was quite windy, so a few of us headed for the coast for some touristing. We found a beach where the wind was blowing so hard over the back of the point to the west that dust devils were picking up sand at

Id Ch • h • Wor amp1ons 1ps

the far end. Soon, the tourists had to abandon their use of beach umbrellas as the gusts intensified. Around the corner we found a launch that would be great for ridge soaring the cliffs facing the wind, had it not been so strong. The next two days were "official" practice days, and we flew tasks with turnpoints and goal to get our GPS traces in order. The Sierra Nevada is a formidable range, with few LZ's, especially down in the canyons if you sink out. The key is to side-hill land if you are getting low, walk back up and reflight rather than get low in a canyon. Sometimes there are valley winds which can blow you back into steep, jagged, rock walls or up narrow, winding, tree-filled canyons, or possibly into a lake. You have to be very aware of where you are going so you don't get stuck. Up high on the ridges the thermals make it difficult to land, as one pilot found out when he broke his foot after a frontal while he was top-landing.

For the rest ofthis article, visit Chad's website at: http:!!flyaboveall. comlspainlindex.htm.

JOSH COSH: THE OLD MAN OF THE TEAM Going to my third World Championships, and with Todd Bibler's retirement from most comps, I was the old man of the team. Luckily, I'd suckered Ryan Swan into taking the thankless job of team leader. This saved me from having to get up early and listen to all the other team leaders complain. Ryan did a great job as team leader. He was also available on short notice as an alternate to become the second-highest scorer for the team when Scotty Marion's travel plans fell through. Although both are international competitions, World Championships are different than PWC's (Paragliding World Cups) in several ways. They are team competitions, so there is more of a focus on team spirit and, of course, there are team leaders. The Worlds has a much broader spread of pilot skill levels, as some pilots get in mainly by virtue of being from a country with few pilots. And, last but not least, expectations are higher. A certain level of pageantry and spectacle are de rigeur. At this one, since it was also a World Air Games, expectations of a big event were higher still. Those expectations were not exactly met this time. The opening ceremony was mini-

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2001

malist. However, if you've ever sat through a multi-hour ceremony with self-important politicians giving speeches in a language you don't understand, that is not such a bad thing. The organization was pretty good, and their experience with PWC's in previous years was evident. However, the organizer, Juan Morillas, seemed unprepared for criticism, refused to speak English, the meet's official language, and stopped showing up at the team leader meetings, betraying an adversarial attitude that scored no points with CM, officials or team leaders. We also saw little of the World Air Games which was spread out over southern Spain. The site, Sierra Nevada, is a bit different. It is a modern, empty ski village in stark contrast to bustling, historic Granada in the valley 8,000 feet below. Much of the flying is over fairly inhospitable terrain. In some areas, landing out means a half-day walk to civilization, but in most it just means having to land in an olive grove or making other

non-ideal but doable landings. The demands on pilot skill and confidence were high. Some say they were too high. Maybe so, but I found the flying mostly enjoyable and chose to malce the best of it after a reserve ride on the first day took me out of serious contention. I made the mistake of receiving my new prototype glider less than two weeks before the Worlds. In addition, I had not been able to practice much in the spring. So, when faced with avoiding a mid-air in a tight gaggle on day one, my reactions may not have been perfect. The prototype and my pod harness made for an unforgiving combination, resulting in multiple line twists and a plummet through the gaggle to a successful reserve deployment. With the prototype damaged, Windtech got a Quarx, an old friend, out to me by the next morning. I was in the somewhat enviable position of having nothing to lose, on a docile but highperformance glider. It made it possible to

have fun and concentrate on good flying tactics without the distractions of scoring or a demanding glider. I would like to learn to keep this frame of mind even in higher-pressure situations. And I think this training did pay off at the U.S. Nationals, where I felt relatively relaxed being in first or second place most days. Or, maybe it was just that compared to organizing the meet, flying in it was a welcome escape. One thing that being around the whole competition scene has taught me is that it is much easier to criticize than to do. I would like to thank organizers of good meets everywhere and encourage others in the U.S. to take up the sometimes-thankless task of organizing meets. I am happy to answer questions or offer advice if needed.

JIU, NEPHEW: TO COMPETE OR NOT TO COMPETE When I think of competitions, I think of a group of people coming together to have a

PARAGLIDING

good time and share the air. I think about the times when our stories and our victories in the air were shared, and shared again in the cafes, pubs and campgrounds in the evenings. I think about seeing friends from all over I haven't seen all year, easy retrieves, logical tasks, and a higher level of safety than free flying. I think about doing your best and learning a lot. This is why I compete. But even after a dozen comps, I don't think I was psychologically ready for Granada. One component of the WAG that differed from other competitions, that I underestimated, was the pressure everyone would feel as they were not just flying for themselves, but for a team and a country. For those who found the conditions within their comfort zone this was not an issue, but for the rest of us it made the competition anything but fun as we struggled painfully every day with our decisions to fly and what we were doing there. It is my opinion that with this extra factor, an ideal organization of this sort of event would need to make sure that the conditions were extra safe, as the decision to fly or not to fly is bigger than one's own personal enjoyment or ambition. This was not the case in Granada. The site is very "advanced" (dangerous), with few good landing options, lots of power lines, long, shallow glides and lots of wind. Our main launch favored the high-performance gliders as lower-performance gliders often could not glide from launch out of the lee. And the task setting, in my opinion, was not very prudent, as was validated almost every day by my conversations with the CIVL officials on launch who were equally distressed. The mood of these "games" felt more to me like the front lines of a war, as people were more committed to an idea than to themselves. There were lots of injuries too many. Every day I was thankful that my going to Granada did not keep anyone else from being on the team (not many women qualified), and that I had no considerable sponsors to impress. Needless to say, the others and I who felt the same were quite the party-poopers, which is no fun for anyone. If anything positive can come from this experience, let me appeal to competition organizers to consider that choosing a safe site, at a safe time of year to fly it, with good task setting, appropriate for the level of the competition, does as much if not more to strengthen the experience of the competitors

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2001

and the future of competition as do the parties, banners and prizes. And I appeal to anyone who is considering competing, or competing at a higher level, to have a clear idea of why they are doing it. Ask yourself whom you are flying for, and stick to it, no matter how difficult. Just because you may be talented, does that mean you have to prove it to the world? At what cost? Let's keep comps fun.

ERIC REED: X-C OVER THE FLATS IS JUST BETTER It is three months after the competition and a month and a half since I've been airborne. The mountains and plains of southern Spain seem like a hazy dream, but two memories stand out through the fog.

]um: 21, TASK 3 After a quick 28k run up and down the

ridge to nail the pre-start control point, the main peak was pumping. In the cold, clear air at 4,000 meters you could see the Mediterranean 45 kilometers to the south, the launch, the snow-covered peaks of the Sierra Nevada 1,200 meters below, and a long way in every other direction. The first half of the 17k glide out to the flats was a relaxing cruise, but once out in the valley the heavy sink set in. Shortly after rounding turnpoint "Z" (an entirely virtual turnpoint they'd just written the coordinates for that morning) the search for lift moved into desperate mode - pinned to a finger, more valley wind than I'd like, and nothing sticking together. Dressed for cloudbase, I sweat my way through round after round of pathetically weak, drifting climbs and persistent ground suck. Forty-five minutes later I was on the ground in a small, dry clearing below an orchard, defeated, soaked and a

long way from a .town or paved road. I packed up slowly in the afternoon sun. Above me in the orchard I could hear two men working. I knew I'd landed on their property and needed to pass by in order to get off their farm and onto a dirt road. In the U.S. I'd be worried about the trespassing issue, and even in Spain I was conscious of it. There was an old man and his son moving slowly in the heat, harvesting beautiful, dark-red cherries from their trees by hand. They were not bothered by my presence on their land, and they didn't seem surprised to see me. They didn't even seem curious about my strange aircraft or the others they must have seen overhead. But they did have one question for me: Was I hungry? Defeat never tasted so good. Neither did cherries. ]UNE 23, TASK 5

After another short, pre-start control point the task was a 90k straight-line race to a goal field far out into the olive-grove-studded flatlands to the north. My climb over the start line was good and I managed to keep up with the second gaggle for the first few glides - out of the mountains and across some lower ridge lines. Out in the flats somewhere, somehow, eventually I found myself low and alone. Low, in this case, was defined by the point at which thoughts about things like following the course line, crabbing into the wind, or landing at goal disappeared, and finding a thermal, no matter where or how weal<:, was all that mattered. The flats were working decently and I eventually found something, a little off my intended course but strong and smooth. My climb back from low put me back in the middle of another gaggle. The gaggle's help and improving conditions kept us high for the remainder of the task. At times we were well above 4,000 meters MSL and probably two miles above the terrain. From that altitude the land below seemed like an ocean in its enormity and featurelessness. I topped out my last climb with Bruce Goldsmith and received a good lesson in final gliding. I was a little slow to realize that goal was in the bag and light-footed on the speed bar, mistakes that put me over the finish line a good three minutes and eight places behind my more astute and efficient rival. Still, for me, it was far and away the sweetest day of the comp. Almost all of the

climbs were fat and smooth, there was no strong wind, and nothing much to be nervous about except the possibility of a long walk. X-C over the flats is just better.

CHERIE SILVERA: A SUMMER OF HUMBLING INSPIRATION I dedicated this summer to flying and competitions, with the goal of earning respectable results in the World Championships as a member of the U.S. Team. It all started in the spring when we had a great Iii' party in Aspen to get psyched for the upcoming World Championships, drink margaritas, and raise money for the team's pricey mission to Spain. Thank you, generous Aspen friends. In April a quick road trip boosted my confidence as I flew a personal best in the intimidating Owens Valley and had other memorable flights around California. By mid-May I had saved up my pennies to pay for overseas travel and entry fees. I got a great X-C wing, an Omega 5, from Advance USA, and headed off to Europe to refine my comp skills before the daunting task of flying against the world's best in Spain. A wildcard got me entry into the PWC in Greece, which became my first humbling experience of the summer, with many more to follow. During the first task we launched into a strong inversion, with 115 pilots desperately trying to stay in the air over an area not much larger than the south side of the Point of the Mountain. This was one of the most unpleasant experiences I've had while flying, and it shook my confidence. Each of the three days we flew, most pilots bombed out before the start, thanks to the inverted conditions, but the best pilots proved that it is possible to do the impossible and broke through the inversion with incredible patience and skill. I never got so lucky or skillful. My lack of experience in the international realm was apparent. I followed the PWC tour on to Switzerland where I flew along with the tasks, even though I wasn't entered in the competition. Although conditions were strong, the tasks required fast and tactical flying. As I tagged along slowly I quickly learned again how much I had to learn. Finally it was time to go to Spain for the World Championships, now that I had figured out what kind of competition I was up against. A couple of practice days

revealed intimidating big-mountain terrain with few landing options, but I felt ready. I was counting on that miraculous, instantaneous breakthrough of my latent flying genius. We flew eight tasks, and each day I flew a little better and farther than the previous day, but was also always disappointed to land short of goal. Regardless of how far I went, most of the other pilots flew farther. Each day was an emotional roller coaster ride: from anticipation (before launch), desperation (sinking out) and elation (landing safe), to mortification (watching others fly much further), etc. All summer I had visualized myself racing over the goal line, neck and neck with the world's top women and side by side with my teammates, but the reality was that these were my first international competitions and I was paying my dues - certainly no instantaneous rewards and results. On the other hand, I had the privilege of flying with some awesome pilots and saw some inspiring flying by other women competitors, such as Louise Crandall from Denmark, who has a relaxed style and flies equal to some of the best men. Also, my U.S. teammates, with limited international experience, were able to rise to the occasion and make high finishes on many days. Personally, I know I can do well, but it will take a lot more airtime and patience. Having spent time with some great pilots at WAG 2001, I'm totally inspired to keep at it. Watch out for the U.S. Team at the next World Champs. Thanks go to my peachy teammates and my new global friends who made this a brilliant time at WAG, even ifI didn't make goal (or eat ice cream).•

PARAGLIDING

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• •

PARAGLIDING

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

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OCTOBER

2001

THE ART OF PARAGLIDING - By Dennis Pagen. HOT OFF THE PRESS!!! Step by step training, ground handling, soaring, avoiding dangers, and much much more. 274 pages, 248 illustrations. The most complete manual about paragliding on the market. $34.95 +$5.00 s/h. USHGA, PO Box 1330, Colorado Springs CO 80901. (719) 632-8300, fax your MC/Visa/Amex to (719) 632-6417, www.ushga.org, ushga@ushga.org *NEW' PARAGLIDING INSTRUCTOR'S MANUAL - By Dennis Pagen, available through USHGA. Covers: Learning to teach/Teaching to learn; school organization; teaching beginners; teaching novice; weather considerations and much more. 140 pages packed with illustrations. $15.00 +$5 s/h. USHGA, PO Box 1330, Colorado Springs CO 80901. (719) 632-8300, fax your MC/Visa/Amex to (719) 632-6417, www.ushga.org, ushga@ushga.org SOARING - Monthly magazine of The Soaring Society of America, Inc. Covers all aspects of soaring flight. Full membership $55. Info. kit with sample copy $3. SSA, P.O. Box 2100, Hobbs, NM 88241. (505) 392-1177.

Windsok. Made of 1.5 oz. ripstop nylon, UV treated, 5'4" long w/11" throat. Available colors fluorescent pink/yellow or fluorescent pink/white. $39.95 (+$4.75 S/H). Send to USHGA Windsok, P.O. Box 1330, Colorado Springs, CO 80901-1330, (719) 632-8300, fax (719) 632-6417. VISNMC accepted.

Sell your unused equipment here. 45

VIDEOS

*NEW* SPEED TO FLY with Jockey Anderson. A complete video guide to cross country paragliding. Great air-to-air and in-board footage with Jockey as he takes you around the world, providing flying tips and interviewing the top pilots. Covers thermaling, decision making, competition flying and speed to fly. 70 minutes $39.95 *NEW* A HIGHER CALLING by Dawn Treader Productions. Winner "People's Choice Award" at the Banff Mountain Film Festival 2000. A story of six friends attempting to fly cross country together as a group through western Nepal, where finding launches & landings becomes a daily routine. Become immersed into the Nepal culture upon every landing. Superb editing. 45 minutes $32.95 *NEW* PARAGLIDER GROUND HANDLING & THE ART OF KITING, by Adventure Productions. Learn techniques and tips for easy ground handling with this instructional program. Get in rune with your glider and improve your flying skills while on the ground. Various wind conditions are covered with the successful and proven industry-standard techniques of Dixon White-Master rated pilot, USHGA Examiner and USHGA's PG Instructor of the Year. This is for the beginner, intermediate & advanced pilot who wants to do some brushing up on his skills. Be a master of your paraglider. 44 minutes $36.95 *NEW* IN SEARCH OF THE PERFECT MOUNTAIN By Adventure Productions. Searching for the perfect mountain, perfect flight, and the perfect experience that challenges our essence and satisfies our quest for adventure. This paragliding odyssey takes you to St. Anton, Austria; Garmisch-Partenkirchen, Germany; Sun Valley, Idaho; Point of the Mountain, Utah; and Jackson Hole, Wyoming. Features in-air footage, aerial maneuvers, and local pilot tours. 44 minutes $36.95. BAU HIGH, by Sea to Sky Productions. A paragliding adventure film. Great flying and a great adventure on the exotic island of Bali, Indonesia. A result of wild imaginations, weeks of filming and three unsupervised pilots in a land of serious fun. Great flying footage. 38 min $29.95. WEATHER TO FLY, by Adventure Productions. A much needed instructional/educational video on micrometeorology. Dixon White, Master pilot and USHGA Examiner, takes you through a simple step-by-step process showing where to acquire weather data and how to interpret it. For pilots of any aircraft. Learn about regional & local influences and how to determine winds aloft and stability. "Weather To Fly" is an over-all view packed with useful derails and includes great cloud footage. A straight-forward presentation that is easy to follow. 50 min. $39.95. TURNING POINT - IN ALPINE THERMALLING, by Dennis Trott/Alpine Flying Centre. 50% HG, 50%

PG. Discover techniques to tame the elusive alpine thermal. Beautiful footage set against Europe's most dramatic mountains. Also features comments from top pilots & great animation. 24 min $35.95. STARTING PARAGLIDING by Adventure Productions. Covers basic preparations, weather, proper attitude, ground hanclling & those first exciting launches. 30 min $29.95. FLY HARD: Viking Films newest release. Rob Whittall, Chris Santacroce & a vintage Buick convertible full of paragliders. Outrageous flying at several west coast flying sites. Meet HG aerobatics champion Mitch McAleer along the way. Excellent rock soundtrack, professionally filmed & edited, 35 minutes $35.95. PARAGLIDE: THE MOVIE by Viking Films. Rock-nroll world class competition at Owens Valley. Professionally filmed & edited, 35 minutes $35.95. Call or fax USHGA (719) 632-8300, fax (719) 6326417, please add +$4 domestic s/h (+$5 for two or more videos). Great to impress your friends or for those socked-in days. MISCELLANEOUS FLIGHT GUIDANCE AND XC - In the Sierra Nevada, Spain: Horizonte Vertical, www.granadainfo.com/hv/, hv@granadainfo.com, Tel/Fax: 011 34 958763408 SOUTH AFRICA - Thinking of visiting South Africa? Look no further ... awesome cross country, spectacular coastal ridge soaring for all levels. We offer accommodations-car rental, guiding, tours, kitesurfing, surfing, wildlife viewing and more. For more info contact Grant or Sheree, actionsportsafrica@hotmail.com, call +27(0)21 5573334, mobile +27(0)835319154.

FLY NEPAL

few left. Commemorating the world championships held at Pinzgau, Austria. Soon to become collectors items! Sizes medium & large, ONLY $10 (in the USA). Proceeds benefit the US Paragliding World Team! Send your $10 to: USHG Foundation, c/o PG World Team '99 T Shirt, PO Box 1330, Colorado Springs C0809011330. 1-800-616-6888. VIDEOS, BOOKS & APPAREL - Call USHGA for your Merchandise order form (719) 632-8300, fax (719) 632-6417, email:ushga@ushga.org,www.ushga.org DON'T LEAVE YOUR GROUND-BOUND EQUIPMENT SITTING IN THE GARAGE. SELL IT IN THE CLASSIFIEDS. CLASSIFIED ADVERTISING RATES The rate for classified advertising is $.50 per word (or group of characters) and $1.00 per word for bold or all caps. Phone number=2 words, PO Box=2 words, weight range i.e. 137-185lbs~2 words, web site or email address=3 words. MINIMUM AD CHARGE $5.00. A fee of $15.00 is charged for each line art logo and $25.00 for each photo. L!NEART & PHOTO SIZE NO LARGER THAN 1.75" X 2.25". Please underline words to be in bold print. Special layouts of tabs are $25.00 per column inch. AD DEADLINES: July 20th is the deadline for the September issue. Please make checks payable to USHGA. Send to: PARAGLIDING MAGAZINE, Classified Advertising, P.O. Box 1330, Colorado Springs, CO 80901-1330 (719) 632-8300 or fax (719) 632-6417, email jeff@ushga.org with your Visa, Amex or MasterCard.

INDEX TO ADVERTISERS Adventure Productions ........................... 13 Aero light USA ........................................ 13 Apco ............................................ 27,29,31 Critter Mountain Wear .......................... 2 9 Dixon's Airplay ........................................ 9 Flytec ....................................................... 7 Hall Brothers ......................................... 13

WINTER 200 I - Two IO day tours starting December 2nd-December 28th, 2001, $1,800. Dale Covington, 1800-782-9204, kerwin@ida.net

Mojo's Gear ............................................. 7 Parasoft .................................................. 13 Sport Aviation Publications .................... 13 Sup'Air ................................................... 47 Super Fly, Inc. ....................... 2,Back Cover Thermal Tracker .................................... 12 Torrey Pines Gliderport ........................... 8 USHGA ............................... 5, 10,23,30,47 Wills Wing ............................................. 15

1999 WORLD TEAM T-SHIRTS -

We still have a

PARAGLIDING

models

and

sizes

than

any

•

- usa • com

WWW • supa1r

other

manufacturer

Leading the paragliding/paramotoring harness industry. Ph: (516) 676-7599 - e-mail: supair@macconnect.com