USHGA Paragliding Vol12/Iss11 November 2001

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

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SUPER FLY, INC · EXCLUSIVE NORTH AMERICANIMPORTER/OISTRIBUTOR · [8011255-9595 · info@4superfly.rnm · www.4superfly.com · 552 W. 8360 5. ....-,UT 84070

PARAGLIDING• NOVEMBER 2001

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GLIDER REvmw: THE SWING MISTRAL 2 © 2001 by Al4n Chuculat,, p/H,tos by MAry Hob,on

2002 USHGA REGIONAL DIREc:roR ELF.cnON FIRST TIME IN THE OwENs

by Petn Wmm,

TRANsmoNING FROM P2 To P3

by Matt Gllldn

COVER: Dave Wheeler soaring at Airplays flight park in Hay Canyon, near Cashmere, Washington. Photo by Dan A. Nelson. See story on page 35.

TAKING THE PAIN Our OF HooNG To LAuNra artick and photo, by Dan A. Ndhon

• • RISK MANAGEMENT IN PARAGUDING

by Tim Pfoiffer, ntkbar by St,w Roti

NATIONAL PARK FUGHT PLAN

by D. &tndy Leggett, USHGA. Sit1 CommitlW Chairman

NOVE MB ER

2001

3

Gil 9odgen, Managing·Editor/1:ditor,in-Chief Ste\le Rotl; ContributingEditor · ·

E)ave Pounds, Art Director Will Gadd; Pei,ni11Pag11n Staff Write~

NORTHEASTERN AIR SPORTS ASSOCIATION

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of FAl,related paraglidiri~ activities si.i~h a{re,·ord atternpts·and competition sancttons. · ·· · · • PARA(il:JDINGmagazine ..i~ p,ublis. spqrt. entnu.siasts .to cr.eate further 1 and to pr.civide an educational f paragliding metnocds. and safety. c come. ~yqne is i11vite.cd. to cpntri and illustrations concerning pi\ragli materi.al is 1.o be returned, a stam

returnenvelope rnustbe enclosed. Nbtifltailor;foust'be mad.e of submission tq other p;ira · PAV.Ci~IDING m<1gazlne reserves t trlblltion~ where necessary, The Ass cation .do npt .<1ssume resr;)onsiblllty

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opjnipns of tontributors. PARAG offi<;es: 31441 Santa M<1 ·

Dear Editor, NASA, the Northeastern Air Sports Association, is pleased to announce the opening of their new launch ramp at the club's new launch site on Ellenville Mountain, New York.

NASA locked down a 10-year lease with the landowner with an option to buy this great piece ofland on Route 52. It is only a quarter mile from the original Ellenville site. The landing area is a seven-acre parcel, owned by Mountain Wings, Inc. and used for their training hill, that lies across the road from the other LZ. NASA was formed in 1995 by 10 pilots who knew of four flying sites that needed TLC and insurance to be used. With that in mind, a USHGA Chapter club was started. We put the word out that a new club was being formed, and within three weeks we had more than 65 members, mostly paraglider pilots. We started looking for an new northwest site closer to home (Ellenville) than the traditional site. After contacting the landowner of the "North Knob" and telling him of our dilemma, he agreed to sign a contract with the dub.

The first work party was incredible, with so many volunteers showing up that the launch was deared in no time. Then we were swamped with materials and donations for the first in a series of ramps that were planned for the new site. One of our dub members who wishes to remain anonymous even donated $1,000 to help build the second ramp that was being planned. Thank~ so much for that donation.

With that big chunk of money we realized that we needed to register our dub (USHGA Chapter #221) with New York State, and we received our not-for-profit, tax-exempt status.

More memberships really started to pour in after the new launch was discovered, and we couldn't believe how many pilots came out of the woodwork who hadn't flown in a long time.

The new ramps were designed to make launching both hang gliders and paragliders much safer and easier. In addition to landing at the seven-acre LZ, on soarable days pilots fly down the ridge to soar the higher, more constant ridge above the Ellenville airport, and then land at the LZ used for tow operations, which is a 4,500-foot strip of grass alongside the runway.

There is always a party and barbecue going on after a day of soaring and towing.

For more information and a membership form to join NASA, you can either call (845) 647-3377 or e-mail Mtnwings@catskill.net and we will send you the forms. Or, stop by Mountain Wings Flight School at 150 Canal Street in Ellenville.

Greg Black Ellenville, NY

NOVEMBER

2001

VOLUME

12, ISSUE #ll

STATEMENT OF OWNERSHIP, MANAGEMENT AND CIRCULATION (Required by 39 U.S.C. 3685) 1. Title of publication: PARAGLIDING 2. Publication No. 1089-1846 3. Date of filing: October 2, 2001 4. Frequency of issue: Monthly 5. No. of issues published annually: 12 6. Annual subscription price: $35.00 7. Complete mailing address of known office of publication: 219 West Colorado Ave., Suite 104, El Paso County, Colorado Springs, CO 80903-3338. Contact Jeff Elgart (719) 632-8300.

8. Complete mailing address of headquarters or general business office of publisher: Same 9. Full names and complete mailing addresses of publisher, editor, and managing editor: Publisher: United States Hang Gliding Assn., Inc., P.O. Box 1330, Colorado Springs, CO 80901-1330. Editor and managing editor: Gil Dodgen, 31441 Santa Margarita Pkwy., Suite A-256, Rancho Santa Margarita, CA 92688-1836.

10. Owner: United States Hang Gliding Assn., Inc., 219 West Colorado Ave., Suite 104, Colorado Springs, CO 80903-3338. Its Officers are: Jim Zeiset, President, 13154 CR 140, Salida, CO 81201; Mark Ferguson, Vice President, 1173 Ridgeview Cir., Broomfield, CO 80020; Russ Locke, Secretary, 868 S. Mary Ave., Sunnyvale, CA 94087; Bill Bolosky, Treasurer, 2422 SE Mirrormont Dr., Issaquah, WA 98027.

11. Known bondholder, mortgagees, and other security holders owning or holding 1% or more of total amounts of bonds, mortgages or other securities: none.

12. The purpose, function, and nonprofit status of this organization and the exempt status for Federal income tax purposes: (1) Has not changed during preceding 12 months.

13. Publication name: Paragliding 14. Issue date for circulation data below: August 2001 15. Extent and nature of circulation: (A) Total No. copies printed: 5,417 av./issue. preceding 12 mo.; 5,200 for August 2001.

(B1) Paid/requested outside-county mail subscriptions stated on Form 3541: 4,418 av./issue preceding 12 mo.; 4,125 for August 2001.

(B2) Paid/requested in-county mail subscriptions stated on Form 3541: Oav./issue preceding 12 mo.; 0 for August 2001.

(B3) Sales through dealers and carriers, street vendors, counter sales and other non-USPS paid distribution: 832 av./issue preceding 12 mo.; 622 for August 2001.

(B4) Other classes mailed through the USPS: 55 av./issue preceding 12 mo.; 54 for August 2001.

(C) Total paid and/or requested circulation: 5,075 av./issue preceding 12 mo.; 4,801 for August 2001.

(D1) Free distribution by mail, outside-county as stated on Form 3541: Oav./issue preceding 12 mo.; 0 for August 2001.

(D2) Free distribution by mail, in·county as stated on Form 3541: Oav.tissue preceding 12 mo.; Ofor August 2001.

(D3) Free distribution by mail, other classes mailed through the USPS: 15 av.tissue preceding 12 mo.; 12 for August 2001.

(E) Free distribution outside the mail: 15 av.tissue preced· ing 12 mo.; 12 for August 2001.

(F) Total free distribution: 30 av./issue preceding 12 mo.; 24 for August 2001.

(G) Total distribution: 5,105 av.tissue preceding 12 mo.; 4,825 for August 2001.

(H) Copies not distributed: 312 av./issue preceding 12 mo.; 375 for August 2001.

(I) Total: 5,417 av./issue preceding 12 mo.; 5,200 for August 2001.

(J) Percent paid and/or requested circulation: 99% av./issue preceding 12 mo.; 99% for August 2001.

16. This statement printed in: November 2001 issue.

17. I certify that the statements made by me above are correct and complete. Signed by: Jeff Elgart, Director of Circulation, 10/02/2001.

PARAGLIDING

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UNITED STATES HANG GLIDING ASSN., INC., PO BOX 1330, COLORADO SPRINGS, CO 80901-1330 (719) 632-8300 www.ushga.org FAX (719) 632-6417 (07/01)

RELEASE, WAIVER AND ASSUMPTION OF RISK AGREEMENT In consideration of the benefits to be derived from membership in the USHGA, (Pilo~ and the parent or legal guardian of l'ilotif l'ilotis 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 Sl'ORr 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 para.glider.

2. "SPORTS INJURIES' means personal injury, bodily injury, death, property damage and/or any other personal or financial injury sustained by l'ilotas a result of Pilot's PARTICIPATION IN THE SPORTand/or as a result of the administration of any USHGA programs (for example: the Pilot Proficiency System). If Pilotis under 18 years of age, the term" SPORTS INJURIES"means personal injury, bodily injury, death,i)F'operty damage and/or any other personal or financial injury sustained by Pilot as well as personal injury, bodily injury;'death, property damage and/or any other personal or financial injury sustained by Pilot~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. l "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 pmon(s) sponsoring and/or participating in the administration of l'ilot~proficiency rating(s); c) Each of the hang gliding and/or paragliding organizations which are chapters of the USHGA; d) The United States Of America and each of the city(ies), town(s), county(ies), State(s) and/or other political subdivisions or governmental agencies within whose jurisdictions 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 SPORl "Ali 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 A CLAIM against any of the RELEASED PARTIESfor loss or damage on account of SPORTS INJURIES. If Iviolate this agreement by filing such a suit or making such a claim, Iwill pay all attorneys' fees and costs of the RELEASED PARTIES. D. I AGREE THAT this AGREEMENT shall be governed by and construed in accordance with the laws of the State of California All disputes and matters whatsoever arising under, in connection with or incident to this Agreement shall be litigated, if at all, fo_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. SEVERABULITY. 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 Iam the parent or legal guardian of Pilot, I AGREE INDEMNIFY AND REIMBURSE the REI.EASED PARTIES for their defense and indemnity from any claim or liability in the event that Pilotsuffm SPORTS INjlJRIESas a result of Pilot~ PARTICIPATION THE SPORT, even if caused in whole or in part by the negligence (whether active or passive) of any of the RELEASED PARTIES.

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

Adult Pilot's Jijnatun

Jifnatun ofPilot's Parent or l.epl 6uatrlian ifPi/ot under /8parr ofare.

MMR 12-97 Oa!P

ir11Vave ,... raglider 1N ave Pa r

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TORREY PINES PILOTS ASSOCIATION (TPPA) CHARTER MEMBERS

T

he Torrey Pines Pilots Charter Members, Torrey Pines Association (TPPA) now numTPPA. PIiots Association bers more than 50 San Diego-area pilots. The Association is active in the promotion of safe flying following the USHGA and site guidelines at Torrey Pines Glider Port and other Southern California flying sites. In addition, the Association participates monthly with Torrey Pines Glider Port in community support activities such as blood drives, disabled children fund-raising, tandem instructional flights for the unfortunate in San Diego, and much more.

SAN DIEGO, CALIFORNIA SITES ENDANGERED ffective immediately all San Diego County sites are endangered. Please contact a local club member before attempting to fly a site in San Diego County. Visiting pilots continue to be welcomed but we need your cooperation.

Please visit our web site at http:/ I daneel. ucsd.edu/ sdhgpa/index.html.

E

WHACK TAPES FOR CHRISTMAS y popular demand, a fresh run of the original "Paul Voight's Famous Whack Tape" has been professionally reproduced, just in time for Christmas. Originally released in late 1993, this cult video is a coliection of some of the more bizarre hang gliding mishaps ever to be compiled.

Backed by a rocking soundtrack, this onehour and 20-minute video is a hang gliding and paragliding party favorite, and is enjoyable to watch over and over. To get yourself or your hang-spouse a copy, just send a $20 check to Paul Voight (includes shipping) to: 5163 Searsville Rd., Pine Bush, NY 12566.

A copy will be sent out promptly.

B

See all the new Airwave paragliders at

www.willswing.com

500 West Blueridge Ave, Orange CA 92865, USA ph: 714.998.6359 fa x: 714.998.0647

FLY ECUADOR THIS WINTER n the dead middle of winter we all have

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those dreams of flying and exploring some place warm and beautiful. This is it!

For the 2001-2002 winter season (Dec./Jan.), Thermal Tracker Paragliding is carrying on the yearly tradition (our seventh tour) of Winter Getaway Tours to the beau-

tiful, awe-inspiring mountains and coastal regions of Ecuador. Opportunities will abound, with time spent exploring the High Andes, flying among some of the most beautiful peaks in South America.

A third of the tour will consist of soaring and relaxing on the warm Ecuadorian coast, exploring miles of smooth, coastal ridge sites, and swimming, fishing and eating to your heart's content.

For pilots and non-pilots alike, we have a strong commitment to exploring the ground-based beauty of this country, from hiking to mountain biking, touring Inca ruins, river rafting, exploring jungles and visiting indigenous markets full of crafts and textiles. Our accommodations range from family-run pensions to beautiful Haciendas high in the Andes. The professional guides are local pilots with nine consecutive years of experience leading adventure tours in Ecuador.

Each group is limited to six pilots to promote quality, so reserve early and secure your space in this winter's adventure. The price of $1 ,750 includes all ground expenses in Ecuador, lodging, transportation, drivers, guides, air shuttle to the coast, and other fees (for 12 days). Call and ask for a professionally produced tour video and past participant referrals. Be sure to check out this link for photos, stories and more information: www.thermaltracker.com/ ecuador. Contact: Thermal Tracker Paragliding, Kevin Lee, (541) 660-8839, thermaltracker@bigfoot.com.

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NOVEMBER

2001

11

What You Don't Know Can Hurt You

by Tim Pfeiffer Tim Pfeiffer, another advanced Oregon 1 pilot, has graciously agreed to help write accident reports and this is his first contribution. I deeply appreciate his willingness to do hours ofwork, as well as his fresh engineer's perspective which balances my more medical one. Thanks Tim! - Pete Reagan

Incidents and accidents experienced by new pilots often appear relatively simple, and more experienced pilots could have handled the situation better. However, the lesson is not how to handle a bad situation but how better decisions could have prevented the situation in the first place.

COASTAL RIDGE-SOARING SITE, LIGHT WIND A relatively new pilot with less than a year's experience and only about 10 hours of airtime visited a popular coastal ridge-soaring site. It was a nice summer day with the wind coming in straight and steady at six to eight mph. No other pilots were present as the pilot prepared to launch his DHV 1-2 glider. He executed a smooth, easy reverse launch for what he expected would be a short sled ride to the beach and a pleasant hike back to launch. Soon after launching he encountered sink and turned left toward the ridge where he experienced a deflation of the entire left side of the wing. He successfully weight-shifted and counter-steered to avoid turning further into the hillside, but just as the wing reinflated, the left side snagged a tree, turning the glider toward the slope and a dead snag. He impacted the dead tree feet first, breaking both heals. He fell IO feet onto his back in thick brush, bounced once and came to rest in a small indentation on the edge of a cliff. No one was with him at the time, but someone on the beach witnessed the crash and called 911. Rescue crews were dispatched imme-

12

diately but it was an hour and a half before a Coast Guard rescue chopper arrived, and another hour before the ground crew could reach the injured pilot. Despite broken heals and a painful back injury, the pilot was able to collect his wing so the helicopter could approach.

Injuries included broken heals requiring reconstructive surgery and a stable L5 fracture. The pilot will be up and walking in a few months. There was no bleeding and the pilot felt like he could have survived the night perched on the edge of the cliff, but if some tourists had not witnessed the accident the situation could have been much worse.

The pilot reported becoming distracted and losing track of his location, and that more aggressive counter-steering might have helped him avoid the tree. Situational awareness and keeping track of your position relative to potential obstacles is important, and more aggressive counter-steering might have worked, but the wing may also have been very close to stall. Additional clearance with the ground might have allowed room for recovery and would likely have helped him avoid the mechanical turbulence that caused the deflation. The pilot may be correct in assuming that a more skilled pilot could have recovered from the deflation and avoided the trees. However, a pilot experienced with summer flying conditions at this site probably would not have flown. This site is seldom flown during the summer because the relatively stable summer conditions often produce crosswinds and mechanical turbulence in front of launch. The same six- to eight-mph conditions at launch that produce wonderfully smooth soaring conditions in the winter often produce dangerous conditions during the summer. A pilot with less than one year's experience cannot be expected to know about these conditions. The accident likely could have been avoided by discussing the conditions with experienced pilots.

RIDGE-SOARING SITE, STRONG WIND Another relatively inexperienced pilot launched on a DHV 2 glider in what appeared to be strong but smooth conditions. The wind was reportedly 12 mph at launch and several pilots were "parked."

The pilot launched and got into his speed system but was not able to penetrate and went over the back into the rotor. The subsequent ride to the ground involved an 80% collapse, spins, surges, etc. The pilot regained control and landed without injury.

Despite the reasonable wind speed reported at launch, the appearance of parked gliders indicated very marginal conditions.

Different wings and pilots fly at different speeds and the wind speed at launch may not be a good indicator of the wind speed 30 feet above launch.

The pilot felt that poor penetration may have been partially due to being on the low end of the weight range, and that a D HV 1 or 1-2 glider might have behaved better in the rotor. However, if a few extra pounds make a difference between penetrating and going over the back, you are probably cutting it way too close, and once you arc in the rotor a more stable wing isn't going to get you out of a bad scrape. Rotors arc bad news and should never be considered manageable on any wing. This pilot learned what goes on in a rotor without injury, but tragedy was only avoided by the slimmest margin. By allowing a greater margin and not launching when potentially faster gliders were parked, a serious encounter with a rotor could have been avoided.

INLAND THERMAL AND GLASSOFF SITE A student pilot at an inland thermal and glass-off site watched two other pilots launch and soar. He had flown several different sites and had shown good launch technique on all of his recent launches. This was his first time at this site, which is steep with many nearby obstructions. He did a reverse inflation with his DHV 1-2 wing, turned and started running down the hill, but one half of the wing was not fully inflated. He swung through the brush below the launch area and impacted a stump with his thigh. His thigh was bruised and he found it painful to walk immediately after the accident. Five days later the pain was still bad enough that he visited his doctor who confirmed that nothing was broken and the bruise would take a while to go away.

The outcome of this accident could easily have been worse. Many pilots launch with a partially inflated wing and get away PARAGLIDING

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lifUil HJBRJI:

I

with it, but impact with a stump or other obstacle near the launch area can break a bone or worse. Crosswinds, common at this site, may have contributed to the partial inflation of the wing. The launch is steep and surrounded by brush, trees and stumps, and a power line is located directly behind launch. While this site is relatively small and not prone to big air, many experienced pilots consider it unsuitable for new pilots or choose not to fly here because the launch offers little margin for error and the landing area is frequently turbulent.

The basic skills involved in flying a paraglider are delightfully simple, but flying and flying safely is about decision-making.

Nearly all incidents and accidents begin with a decision-making error. In each of the events described above an error was made deciding when and where to fly. In the first case, the pilot did not know there was more information available. In the second case, the information was available but the implication of wings parked in strong winds was not understood. In the final case, consideration should have been given to the potential consequences of combining a tricky launch with a beginning pilot at a site with little margin for error.

Gaining the experience and judgment needed to maintain a reasonable margin of safety takes time. All pilots, and especially new pilots, can greatly reduce their risk by allowing room for errors in judgment and skill. Newer pilots are often the most enthusiastic, but they should carefully consider any decisions to launch first. The fact that other pilots are in the air doesn't mean that conditions are suitable for everyone. Always try to choose sites and conditions where errors are less likely to result in serious injury. By the way, in a sport as new as paragliding, even the most experienced pilots are new by any other aviation standard.

Many reports involving new pilots are received second and third hand. New pilots may find it difficult to assess what happened or be unfamiliar with how to report accidents. More experienced pilots and instructors can help newer pilots who have been involved in an incident to report their experiences so we all can learn. Keep the reports coming. Your story could save a bone. Ill

NOVEMBER

2001

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13

THE CRITTER 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.

There are a lot of stuff tarps out there.

So when we decided to build one, extra attention was given to durability and convenience.

Once you use a Fly Trap, you '11 agree this is the best.

COMPETITION 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 (31 O) 4476234, fax (310) 447-6237, brettonwoods@email.msn.com.

YEAR ROUND: Airplay Arizona open all year (near Flagstaff, AZ). Offering begin-

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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 (928) 526-4579.

NOV. 2001-MARCH/APRIL 2002:

Jackson Hole Paragliding presents "Texas Towing, rrom Tandems to Tumbles. "Join

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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.

ner 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.

THURSDAYS: Torrey Pines Gliderport paragliding talk show on Internet radio, 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 click 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 THROUGH APRIL 2002: Airplay beginner and advanced classes in Arizona daily throughout the winter. Only one or two

the Wyoming Cowboys as they head south for maneuvers training courses designed for pilots of all ability levels.

Progress at your own pace. Improve your skills and gain confidence in a safe and fun atmosphere. Features Pro-Tow Aerobatics Contest Champions Ranyon D'Arge and Matt Combs. Call now to reserve space: Scott Harris, (307) 690TRAM (8726), www.jacksonholeparagliding.com.

NOV: 23-25: Maneuvers/Safety Clinic, Lake Havasu, AZ. Administered by veteran instructor Alan Chuculate. Get high and learn your wing's collapse and recovery behavior. Start out gently doing big ears with and without accelerator. Move on to small and large asymmetries, accelerated asymmetries. Continue as far as you want with full frontals, B-stalls, spiral dives, spins, full stalls, wingovers and cravats. Glider provided to practice reserve deployments so you can keep your wing dry. Glider provided to experience parachural stall and recovery if needed. No aerobatic training. Limited to 10 pilots.

USHGA membership required.

Intermediate (P3) rating recommended.

Novice (P2) rating allowed with letter of endorsement from your instructor. Tow Pilot special skill recommended. Tow PARAGLIDING

launch experience required. Scooter tow training available on site with advanced registration. $500 with $250 deposit for advance registration. $550 at the clinic.

Additional clinics to be scheduled this fall and winter. Details and future schedule available by e-mail at: AlanC@San.RR.com or phone (858) 292-1552.

NOV. 24-DEC.1: Super Fly Hawaii Tour.

Join Super Fly on a two-island flying tour of Hawaii. Begin in Maui, flying from the Poli, Lahaina and other sites, then fly to the Big Island of Hawaii. Staying at the four-star Outrigger Hotels on both islands. Gentle thermals, cloud-base flying, amazing views, sandy beaches and a great time. Chris Santacroce and Jeffrey Farrell are tour guides and X-C coaches.

Famous for great food, fun, friends and flying. Pilots always have some sort of personal best. Group size is 12, filling fast.

Price of $1,900 includes transportation, lodging, guiding, X-C and thermal coaching, retrieval, and inter-island airfare from Maui to Hawaii and back. Arrive on Maui Nov. 24 and depart from Maui in the afternoon or evening on Dec. 1. Pay for meals and airfare to Maui and that's it!

Airfares can be only $280 to $330 from California or Salt Lake City. Contact: info@4superfly.com, (801) 255-9595.

DEC. 2-28: Fly Nepal 2001. Two 10-day 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: Parasofi Paragliding School soaring trips to Iguala, Mexico, since 1992.

Pilots are picked up at the 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

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2001

Banks. Details at http://parasoft.boulder.net/WmterFlying.hrml.

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 bur 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 midwinter flying anywhere. Entertainment and dining. Contact: Ray Leonard, (775) 8837070, advspts@pyrarnid.net.

MARCH 1-10, 2002: Super Fly Brazil Tour, Governador Valadarez, Brazil. Fly in a T-shirt and shorts at cloudbase. One of the most consistent sites in the world.

Known for super-smooth thermals and easy X-C. Book a ticket to Governador and we handle the rest. Comprehensive thermal and X-C clinics, thorough instruction in active flying and basic maneuvers.

Conditions appropriate for many levels of experience (P2 rating with 50 flights minimum). Come for one week or more. Space limited, make reservations soon. Guides Jeff Farrell and Chris Santacroce promise to help you to have the best flying trip of your life. Trips include transportation, lodging, guiding, X-C and thermal coaching, and retrieval. Contact: info@4superfly.com, (801) 255-9595.

500 West Blueridge Ave, Orange CA 92865, USA ph: 714.998.6359 fax: 714.998.0647

The Swing Mistral 2 © 2001 by Alan Chuculate, photographs by Mary Hobson

This review ofthe Swing Mistral 2 is the 11th article in a series ofrecreational paraglider reviews. The first section ofthe lead review, which appeared in the November/December '98 issue ofthis publication, provides a preview to this series and is recommended reading ifyou missed the first installment. These reviews also offer pilot educational insights into the understanding ofthe aerodynamics of paragliders and the techniques offlying paragliders safely.

THE COMPANY wing started producing paragliders in Switzerland in 1986 but was moved to Germany in 1994 by the new owner. They stand behind their products with a warranty of three years or 300 hours, whichever comes first. However, if you go to their website, www.swing.de, you'll notice that their warranty doesn't cover damage from Force Majeure (natural phenomena such as thunderstorms). Two examples of their recent design success that have each proven to be very popular in the U.S. are their entry-level model, the Arcus, and their Silex motor wing. The Silex was contracted for and is marketed by Fresh Breeze, a German paramotor manufacturer and is not available through Wills Wing, the Swing U.S. importer since 1994. Swing intends to directly market a motor wing in the future with the name PowerPlay.

Swing is demonstrating a leading role in application of technology for paraglider development by using a digital camera mounted inside a wing to investigate the internal aerodynamics of a paraglider. You can read more about this on their website.

By photographing yarn tufts they are able to study the airflow direction at the cell

S

16

openings and through the cross-ports in different phases of flight. See the photos.

This has allowed them insight into realtime variables such as changes in the dynamic (ram) pressure at the inlets with changes in airspeed, and changes in crossport flow during collapses and spiral dives.

In addition to the imagery, the camera's microphone has provided a relative indication of the rate of internal airflow due to the change in sound level. This has allowed Swing to optimize the location and size of the cell inlets, as well as the cross-port size and shape to achieve their design objectives. Manfred Kistler, the Swing designer, like a yogi guru, has discovered the benefit of looking within to change external behav10r.

THE SWING PRODUCT LINE Swing has five solo models and two tandem wings. Both of the tandem wings are certified with and without rear riser trimmers.

See Table 1. The Mistral 2 is their intermediate-level glider with a DHV 1-2 certification rating. Swing designed the Mistral 2 with three objectives in mind: stability, accelerated speed and good handling.

Note that the original Mistral (released

in 1996) was a DHV 2 wing and should not be confused with the Mistral 2. For the remainder of this article I will refer to the Mistral 2 simply as the Mistral.

Mistral is the name given to the cold, dry, north wind of southeastern France.

Driven by high pressure in the eastern Atlantic and drawn by low pressure over the Mediterranean Sea, it is intensified as the air is compressed by the venturi formed between the Alps and the Central Massi£ SIZING The Mistral is available in four sizes and referred to by numbers: 22, 24, 26 and 28.

These numbers approximately correspond to the projected surface areas of the respective sizes. I flew size 26. With a hook-in weight of about 200 pounds I was centered in the bottom half of the weight range on the 26. See Table 2.

CANOPY British Carrington Nylon cloth is used throughout the wing, with type 1080 used for the top and bottom surfaces and type 1099 for the ribs because of its greater resistance to diagonal stretching. The Mistral uses V-ribs (diagonal ribs) to control the airfoil shape internally; thereby reducing drag with fewer exterior lines. There is also a reinforcing strip of cloth running between each cell along the D-row, which strengthens and controls the wing shape in the afi: chord area. The vertical ribs are reinforced with Mylar (polyester sheet) for stiffness to keep the air inlets open and provide good inflation characteristics. The stock colors are red, blue (dark royal), yellow and sea (light blue), and all come with the black checkmark accent complimented by the single top-surface colored strip on the bottom surface. The Wills Wmg name appears in white on the black checkmark for Swing wings imported in the U.S. The standard Swing center cell marker, a small black circle, is placed at both the leading and trailing edges. See Photo 3. The Mistral name and size appear in black on the left wingtip of the top surface in decimal form, such as Mistral 2.26. See Photo 4.

LINES The Mistral uses Cousin Dyneema (polyethylene) for the lower brake lines and Technora (ararnid) for all others lines. Four colors are used for the lower lines: red A-lines, blue B-lines, yellow C, D and stabilo lines, and orange brake lines. There are

three lines per riser per side and the stabilo is connected to the B quick link. The line configuration uses two cascades and there are four upper £-lines per side at the wing root (middle) of the wing, which connect to the upper D-line cascade.

RISERS Swing uses narrow (2 cm/0.75 inch) prestretched polyester webbing for the risers throughout their paraglider line. Narrow webbing translates to reduced drag, and it seems like an obvious benefit that all manufacturers should incorporate. The Mistral has a four-riser configuration with split A-risers. The risers have the following colorcoding: split A-riser pink, main A-riser purple, B-riser blue, C-riser none and D-riser yellow. The toggle retainer is the popular magnetic type. The accelerator uses Brummel hooks for quick and easy attachment. See Photo 5.

ACCELERATOR The speed system uses the common configuration of two pulleys for a 3: 1 leverage.

The accelerator is connected such that, when fully extended, the stirrup and A-riser travel are 19 cm (7.5 inches), the B-riser moves 13 cm (5.1 inches), the C-riser changes 6.5 cm (2.6 inches), and the D-riser is unaffected. Even with a two-step stirrup, my harness didn't allow the application of full accelerator, so I would describe the travel of the speed system as long.

GROUND HANDLING The Mistral inflates faster than the Arcus, and those pilots moving up from a DHV 1 or older DHV 1-2 wing will fmd that it may tend to overshoot them. However, all such pilots whom I have observed test-flying the Mistral were able to quickly adjust to this change. I could easily perform no-hands inflations, whether forward or reversed.

Sometimes in windy conditions I had to apply brakes to stop the inflation surge and prevent the canopy from overshooting.

Swing recommends using only the inner A-risers in stronger conditions to slow the inflation rate, and I concur with this. The D-risers worked well for deflation. Overall, I found the Mistral easy to manage on the ground in all winds conditions.

IN-FLIGHT HANDLING AND STABILITY The handling of the Mistral is one area where it excels. The brake tension is light

17

Table i - Swing Product line

Model.

DHV Catfgory

Certification

Arcus.

Mi~tfal2 Astral 2 Cirrus 2 Sttacus 2

~ntcy~vel

.Intermediate Performance High Performance

1-2 1-2 2 2-3

Competition Small ,Simple 1andem

none 1-2 ,Biplace

Arcus XL Twin Arcus,XLTwin Trim Astral 2 'twin AstrllU Twin Trim

Small)1tandard Tan.dem 1-2 Biplace Simpl¢Tandem 1-2 Biplace Advanced Tandem 2 Biplace

2-Mistra.12

Specifications

24

26

60-80 132-176

70-95 154-209

85-UO 187-.242

23,9

26.7 23.6

29.5 25.7

Si~e

BIG EARS

Weight.Rai1ge

kg lbs.

Wing Area (m2) Flat Projected Wing Span (m) Flat Projected Aspect.Ratio. (flat/P:rojected) Number :of Cells

Glider :Wl:light (kg)

21.1 11.4

11.8

12.4

~.5

9.9

10.4

5.214.2 52

5.2/4.2 52 6.0

5.2/4..2 52 6,8

and the turn response is quick. Pilots moving up from an Arcus-level wing will enjoy this intermediate handling. After having flown the Mistral, Arcus owners consistently comment that it feels like a sporty Arcus.

The brake tension is not as light as the higher-end DHV 2 wings, but it's also much less likely for the pilot to over-control when doing maneuvers such as wingovers or spirals. The handling is light but predictable and easy to manage.

The stability of the Mistral is also excellent. As a hang glider pilot, I find paraglider collapses bothersome because you have to manage the problem, and there's an element of risk associated with them, so for me it detracts from the joy and relaxation of soaring. I'm a relatively conservative paraglider pilot when it comes to soaring in turbulent thermal conditions because I don't want to experience large or numerous collapses. My emphasis is on collapse prevention by flying slow in turbulence. The Mistral owner's manual recommends flying with slight brakes (about 20%) in turbulence to reduce the likelihood of collapses. I fly with a lot more brake. IfI'm experiencing repeated collapses I will always leave the area and

18

PERFORMANCE A couple of the most recent generation of D HV 1-2 wings I have flown seem to have pushed the state of the art to a new level and defined a new class. The Mistral is one of them. It performed better than older DHV 1-2 wings and better than or comparable to the newest of this current breed.

One pilot noticed that the Mistral penetrates into thermal lift without seemingly stopping as his Arcus did. According to Swing, the Mistral is trimmed at maximum LID, and the minimum sink rate of 1.05 mis (200 ft./min.) is achieved using 20% to 30% brakes. Table 3 shows the Mistral airspeed data provided by Swing.

sometimes go land. In the past I have always been very conscientious about looking up at my wing when I have a collapse, promptly initiating recovery, and getting the canopy centered overhead before turning my attention back to coring the lift.

The Mistral has changed that.

Recently I've been flying the Mistral in some of the strongest lift and turbulence in which I have ever flown a paraglider. (I've never heard the audio of my vario make such a high pitch.) It's not that the Mistral doesn't collapse, but I've found that it's been consistently uneventful. There have been numerous times when I have gone weightless and heard and felt a collapse, to which I've occasionally responded with only a brief and casual glance to note the extent of the problem. None of these events required any active piloting. I simply maintained my low airspeed and bank angle in pursuit of the core and the glider kept flying. The Mistral has provided me with a new level of security and confidence that was previously only available from a DHV 1 glider. Best of all, it provides this stability with the handling and performance that's comparable to DHV2wings.

The split A-risers are easy to use on the Mistral. Typical of an intermediate wing, the wing tips will remain dosed when the split A-risers are released. I like this behavior because it doesn't require the pilot to hold the split A-risers when performing big ears.

Prompt reopening of the wing tips requires only a single long and firm pump of the brakes. The owner's manual states that big ears provides a sink rate of four mis (800 ft./min.), and increases to six mis (1,200 ft.I min.) when combined with the accelerator. Swing cautions that the angle of attack increases when doing big ears, and that the glider's airspeed is lower and parachutal stall4 is "not so far away." The owner's manual continues to state that braking during big ears increases the chance of a deep stall4 and using speed bar counteracts this. While it's true that using the accelerator increases your airspeed, whether doing big ears or not, and it will definitely reduce any wing's tendency to enter a constant stall4, I found no tendency of the Mistral to enter parachutage4 while braking during big ears. In fact I found that it was virtually impossible to apply much brake to slow down while doing big ears because the ears would open.

When using big ears and the accelerator together, I found no difference, independent of which I applied first.

B-STALL According to the owner's manual, B-stalling the Mistral results in a sink rate of eight mis (1,600 ft./min.). It says to grip the B-lines above the triangle locks (quick link nuts).

Normally, to perform a B-stall, I hold the 4Parachutal stall, deep stall, constant stall andparachutage are all synonymous.

PARAGLIDING

top of the B-risers just below the quick links. I hadn't yet read the Mistral manual, so when I attempted to use my standard procedure I couldn't get enough travel of the B-riser on the Mistral because I encountered the added resistance of the C-riser. It was simply necessary to reach higher up.

Rather than holding the webbing risers I grasped the lines just above the quick links and was then able to easily induce the stall.

I recommend that pilots always fly with gloves in the event they need to grab lines, as in this case.

The manual says to pull the risers about 15 cm (six inches), and if you pull too far the glider may form a (front) horseshoe. I believe that most if not all wings will exhibit this behavior if the B-risers are pulled excessively. A front horseshoe itself is generally not a problem, although it can be accompanied by glider rotation (yawing), which can point you toward the hill. The crosswind or gust that causes the yawing can also make an asymmetric surge more likely during recovery, even if your release is symmetric.

This can result in complications during recovery such as an asymmetric collapse or even a spin, especially if your release for recovery is asymmetric. If you're having these complications while performing B-stalls you're being too heavy-handed during entry.

Complications associated with a B-stall can be due to turbulence, but are more likely a pilot-induced problem that stems from incomplete education or strong-armed execution. Like an inadvertent spin or full stall from normal flight, B-stall complications are likely to be pilot induced problems. To perform a B-stall you must pull just forcefully enough to get past the initially increasing resistance. Once the resistance breal(S and the stall occurs, if you pull below your chest, you will get an increased descent rate, but likely with complications. This defeats the benign behavior or user-friendliness of the B-stall as an emergency descent technique. A monkey can easily learn to glide or even soar in a paraglider, but what makes someone a pilot is skillful handling. If you fly without such finesse you're little more than a dope on a rope!

SPIRAL DIVE The Mistral spirals predictably and was easy to manage, both on enny and recove1y.

According to Swing, you can achieve a descent rate of 10 mis (2,000 ft./min.) on the Mistral. The owner's manual advises NOVEMBER

2001

that pilots flying the Mistral at a light wing loading initiate spirals using a swinging motion (mild wingover) and weight shifting. I didn't find that this was necessary.

ASYMMETRIC COLLAPSES With unaccelerated 50% asymmetries, the Mistral rotated less than 90° and recovered promptly on its own with no pilot input.

Weight shifting away from the collapsed side and applying outside brake naturally quickened the recovery. One P3-rated (Intermediate) pilot during his first flight on an appropriately sized Mistral got high and performed an accelerated asymmetric collapse. In his words, "It got my attention." This was due to the rotation rate, the increased descent rate and the prolonged recovery time. Upon further inquiry he revealed that he remained on the accelerator during recovery. In his mind this was akin to holding the collapse to determine the amount of controllability. Pilots should recognize that continuing to apply accelerator following any collapse would always delay recovery and increase the rotation and descent rates. To do this is to invite complications because you're sustaining a quasi-flying condition (something other than normal flight with a fully open wing).

SEARCHING FOR PARACHUTAGE USING BRAKES I noticed no tendency for the Mistral to enter parachutage when slowly applying brakes to full arm extension. It kept flying and would surge forward upon release of the brakes. The owner's manual recommends that if you find yourself in a continuous vertical descent, give the A-risers a short downward pull until the canopy resumes its forward flight. A good means to accomplish this, without overdoing it and inadvertently inducing a frontal collapse, is to simply rotate your wrists after grasping the A-risers. If this proves inadequate, hold

I only made one short motor flight with the Mistral and that was in windy and thermally conditions, so I didn't get the feel for it that smooth air yields. I was able to perform rear riser rums at full throttle against the propeller torque. Other pilots who have motored extensively using the Mistral have offered only very positive feedback regarding its suitability for this mode of flight.

They said that it has excellent light-wind inflation characteristics and responsive handling. Swing has not rested or certified the Mistral for motoring.

Photos 3: The Mistral planform and color pattern. this twist and gently begin pushing forward or slowly pull down unril the canopy surges.

A CAUTION REGARDING LANDING While searching for parachural stall using long, slow and full brake extension in smooth air, the Mistral exhibited a buffeting felt through the toggles just at the limit of full brake extension. Buffering is a GA (General Aviation) term used to describe the vibration felt through the yoke when approaching the stall of an airplane. This vibration is caused by the airflow separation over the wing propagating rearward and affecting the airflow over the elevator on the empennage (rail) of the airplane. Buffering is a form of stall warning, however, paraglider pilots should nor use the absence of buffeting as an indicator that they will not stall.

The buffeting indicates that the flow separation of the approaching stall has increased in intensity, so when the Mistral does full stall it may be more sudden than other wings.

Therefore, if during the landing flare you're too high or you get popped up during your landing flare by some last-moment lift, and if you're holding a deep flare, simply release a little brake (2-3 inches, 5-8 cm) on both sides to avoid full stalling onto your back.

FULL STALL While I didn't perform a full stall on the Mistral, the owner's manual had two comments regarding this that I thought were worthy of mention. The first is that after you fall backward and stabilize under the canopy, it will exhibit a front horseshoe.

This shouldn't complicate the recovery bur the appearance may concern you, so don't be surprised. Also, if during recovery you release the brakes when the canopy is moving forward, the surge could result in a era-

20

vat or a small asymmetric collapse. A cravat is more typically a problem with advanced canopies that have high aspect ratios (long, slender wings). However, any canopy's tendency to cravat is also a function of its wingtip shape and line configuration. The first step to recover from a cravat is to rug on the srabilo (stabilizer) line. If this is unsuccessful yo u can perform another full stall or induce an asymmetric collapse on the open side to make the wing more symmetrical and thereby diminish the spiral dive. The ultimate and perhaps best solution may be to deploy your reserve parachute.

OTHER FLIGHT MODES

GLIDER PACKING For glider packing, the Mistral owner's manual recommends the semi-fold technique and then rolling the Mistral up from the trailing edge, and finally folding the leading edge in. I have to disagree with this recommendation. I only fold my glider when I have to ship it or travel on an airliner. I believe any canopy will last longer if you use a stuff sack. Folding causes creases in the fabric and the Mylar, and stretches the fabric on the outer portion of any fold or roll .

Any stretching of the fabric is bound to increase porosity, whether it's from packing your wing or doing big and/or prolonged spiral dives.

TOWING

I didn't row launch the Mistral Canopies need to be aired to dry out after exposure to bur it is DHV approved for rowing. I would suspect that the moisture such as high humidMistral would have no tendency ity or surface dew. The fibers retain moisture and the water to hang back during a row launch because of its fast inflarakes longer to diffuse out of tion surge. If any canopy is not the fibers than it rakes to brought fully overhead and rowevaporate on the surface. line tension is applied, it's likely Swing cautions that a wet to enter a parachural stall. glider could exhibit much difOvershooting and exhibiting a ferent flight behavior than a dry one. Ideally, a canopy frontal collapse is perhaps more likely with a wing that inflates should be dried our of direct sunlight, bur kiting is an quickly, and if high towline teneffective means to blow-dry a sion is applied during the inflawmg. tion and no braking is used to Mistral 2-26 compensate for the initial overAll lines, whether Kevlar row. This latter trait is true of all appe~rs on the (ararnid) or Spectra (Dyneema or paragliders due to increased A-riser wingtips. polyethylene) need to be stretched tension, as when anchoring a pilot during as part of glider maintenance. The reason inflation. for this is shrinkage of the Dacron (poly-

PARAGLIDING

ester) sheathing that occurs during drying after exposure to moisture. It's not actually the core that shrinks; the shrinking of the sheath effectively shortens the line length.

The lines do not have to be immersed in or sprayed with water to be affected by shrinking. High humidity or surface dew can result in a measurable and safety-compromising change in line length. Changes as small as two centimeters (less than one inch) can cause significant canopy distortion. This can make the wing handle differently and affect stall, collapse and recovery behavior. Swing recommends using a tension of five kg (11 lbs.) for stretching. I have heard other recommendations as high as three times rhis amount, but it depends on the line diameter. The load should be applied smoothly and steadily and the line should be tensioned around the quick link or a smooth surface of this diameter or larger to avoid damaging the core material with a sharp bending load.

SUMMARY The Mistral is the natural next wing for a pilot who's currently flying an Arcus or similar wing and is ready to move up to the next level. Compared to earlier DHV 1-2 wings, the Mistral offers lighter control, faster turn response and improved performance, but without sacrificing passive safety. What is most impressive about the Mistral is that it excels in handling and performance while maintaining stability. Local pilots have expressed to me that they're impressed with the Mistral because it has

NOVEMBER

2001

been able to stay up in light lift when other gliders are sinking out. While it may be just a bit too much as a first wing for the average student, it certainly is appropriate for the above-average student. One local instructor commented that it makes students look like experienced pilots when kiting. I bought a Mistral for myself because of the balance it offers in handling, performance and security, and because I have no doubt that the Mistral will follow the popular trend set by the Arcus.

Like the Santa Ana winds, the Mistral of Western Europe has blown into Southern California. The early indications are for increasing influence this winter and spring as it develops into full Swing. The affects will likely soon spread throughout the continent, so plan ahead if you want to get off early to soar on the wave of the new Mistral.

About the author: &n Chuculate has been paragliding for nearly 12 years and hang gliding/or over 27 years. He is a USHGA Advanced and Tandem lmtructor for both disciplines. He is the source for the increasingly popular Para-Lite SkyCruiser powered paraglider. &n is also running/or USHGA Regional Director in Region 3 (Southern California, Hawaii and Las Vegas). Ifyou reside in this Region, your vote would be appreciated. Ifyou have questiom or comments regarding this article you're welcome to contact him directly by e-mail at AlanC@San.RR.com or by telephone in San Diego at (858) 292-1552. •

2002 USHGA Regional Director Election Use the ballot attached to this issue ofthe magazine.

REGION I Mark Forbes Incumbent I joined the Board last spring to fill out the rest of Steve Rori's term after he resigned. I'd like to continue to serve as a Regional Director, and I'd like to explain who I am and what my interests are.

My first exposure to hang gliding was the Silent Airshow in Milpitas, California, followed by first-day training in 1987 at Mission Soaring. In about 1994 I got serious and took more lessons here in Oregon, then learned aerotowing in Florida, and most recently took up paragliding about three years ago. I own three flex wings and two paragliders now (how'd that happen?), but mostly go flying on weekends. Like most USHGA members, I'm a recreational pilot, and still consider myself barely beyond a beginner. I have about 150 hours on the hang glider and 50 hours on the paraglider so far, with a mix of foot-launch, scooter tow, truck tow, boat tow and aerotowing. When I'm not flying I design electronic data collectors for casinos.

My big interests are safety and training, and site preservation. S&T is crucial to our organization; if we can't keep existing pilots flying, and train new ones, we'll fade away to nothing. When I look at paragliding versus hang gliding, I see some significant differences in the way training is done, and in the ease of learning. I think we need to look hard at how we train hang glider pilots especially, and work on innovations in training that can make the sport more accessible and attractive to someone just entering. We should encourage PG/HG cross-training as well, both because it's fun and because it really helps pilots to understand the traffic and airspace needs of the two different aircraft. It's a lot easier to share the air courteously when you understand the other guy's problems.

Site preservation and expansion is important. We need to maintain access to flying sites, find new ones, and do whatever we can to defend the existing ones against encroachment. That means working with agencies like the BLM, Forest Service and

22

Park Service, and with private landowners to gain access and address their concerns about legal liability.

Communication with the members of USHGA is crucial. I'm active on several paragliding and hang gliding mailing lists on the Internet, and I try to make sure that hot topics come to the attention of the Board, and that Board info gets back to the pilots. I wasn't at all happy with the way the waiver thing happened, and I want to make sure we don't repeat that sort of debacle. I've seen an improved attitude toward communication with the membership, and I want to encourage and assist it.

As a Board member, I'm here to serve you. If you have questions, comments or flames, bring 'em on! Best is by e-mail, to mgforbes@mindspring.com, or you can call me on the phone at (541) 754-3104.

Regardless of who you vote for, please take a minute and vote, and fill out the questionnaire. There aren't that many pilots in the whole country, and your opinion matters a lot. We need the information you provide in order to improve safety and to make sure you get what you need from our national organization.

See you in the air! I'm the guy sinking out, below you.

REGION II

18Sal!ld3 AIU!.. 114

!'MIilea CJ\ 94M4 (650) 3~S-3115 tlom• (65tl) 743-84118 Celt ll1S0)13Z.4l$l Woll< liill~nl!tliroJltt

Timothy West - Nominee I have been hang gliding for four years now, with 90% of it being at Fort Funston.

Over the last four years I have seen a few people in political positions use and abuse their power to degrade the sport and Fort Funston for their own personal reasons or vendettas. This, more than anything else, has made me take office at Fort Funston, and I now seek a position as Regional Director within USHGA. I feel that Fort Funston is more important when it comes to hang gliding than the people who fly

there and I will do everything in my power to see that it stays chat way even if it means that a few people do not like me.

I'm currently the safety officer and training director at Fort Funston. It's my job to enforce the rules to the best of my ability, to help keep the site as safe as possible, and abide by the bylaws and follow proper procedures laid out in those bylaws and/or SOP's. I believe that any decision made without the input of all parties, witnesses and accused is not in the best interest ofUSHGA or America for that matter.

I believe that the Directors and Board of Directors of the USHGA would not have created an SOP without expecting their Regional Directors to follow it. I have been trying to get a copy of the SOP's for about two years now. If it takes becoming a Regional Director to get a copy, then so be it. I have done my best to make sure that the rules and special-use permit are adhered to as closely as possible. And I'm trying to do the same with the USHGA SOP's. When they are not, then all USHGA pilots are being violated, not just the one who is being prosecuted. I just want to malce sure that the SO P's are followed or changed to be more appropriate.

Fort Funston is one of my main concerns when it comes to preserving sites, since I fly there most of the time. I only live five miles away and I live where I do so that I can fly there. I drive 30 minutes to work so I can live where I fly. Fort Funston has not been represented in any manner that I feel is appropriate for the quality of site that it is. This site is one of the most premier flying sites in the U.S. and the world, and not to have any one in USHGA represent it is a travesty. I would like to change all of that.

REGION III John Greynald -

Incumbent

Alan Chuculate Nominee I think it's time for some fresh perspective on the USHGA Board of Directors and that's what I would like to offer as your Regional Director. I'm still biwingually active in our sports at all levels after 27 years of footlaunched soaring, as a pilot, a Tandem PARAGLIDING

Instructor and Instructor Administrator, so I'm connected with the membership on a personal level. I've been active in local affairs, serving twice in the last three years as the local chapter's (SDHGPA) Safety and Training Director, and I'm also the club's representative on the Torrey Pines Soaring Council and Advisory Board. I am endorsed by current Regional Director Dave Jebb to join him on the Board, and previous Regional Director Ken Baier, SDHGPA President Glen Volk and many local hang glider and paraglider pilots.

Other current Directors and Officers have welcomed my renewed participation at the national level.

Site preservation, launch access, securing landing sites and opening up new avenues to the air are our primary needs.

During my break from serving on the Board in the past, as both a Director-AtLarge and as an Honorary Director, I've gained a new stability and maturity in my life with my marriage. I would welcome the opportunity to channel my renewed energy toward preserving our sports as your Regional Director. Remember that Region three has three Directors, two of whom are currently up for renewal. Remember to vote for two nominees. Please feel free to contact me by e-mail at AlanC@San.RR.com or by phone at (858) 292-1552. Fly Safe!

REGIONN JimZeisetIncumbent Members and pilots of Region 4, I've been happy to be your Regional Director for the past 18 years. During this time I've done my best to represent the average member's wishes at the Board of Directors meetings. Not every one of you has been happy with me all of the time, but hopefully all of you have been pleased some of the time.

I've been fortunate to serve the United States World Team four different times as Team Leader. I've served as Vice President for two terms. I was instrumental in getting the USHGA office moved from Pearblossom, California to a professional environment in Colorado Springs. Three times I've been called upon or volunteered to rearrange the business priorities of the NOVEMBER

2001

office when inefficiencies and mismanagement ran rampant.

In April of this year I worked hard to find an Executive Director who met a new set of parameters, like an MBA, a detail-oriented working manager who could type 90 WPM and, yes, a woman (or any man who had the integrity and work ethic of a woman). With the solid backing of Mark Ferguson, our organization Vice President, Jayne Depanfilis was hired to lead the office staff. She has been doing a magnificent job. Her appointment resulted in the resignation of our then President, as David Glover had a personal relationship with her.

I was subsequently asked by several BOD members ifl would run for the position if I were nominated as President. I accepted and was elected.

Little did I know that a terrorist had me in his sights. The problems involved in getting our flying sites opened after the attack were astronomical. The Executive Committee and office staff are now working on getting the schools open. I came in with some ideas about growing the sport through support of our schools. I wanted to expand USHGA support of our World Team, so that we can field a team of our best pilots rather than a group of old guys who can afford to pay their way. The terrorist attack has put that on the back burner as I work with the Executive Committee and Jayne to reestablish our basic flying privileges and reopen our schools. It's working.

Elect me for another term, and if the Board of Directors likes the fact that during my short tenure our bank balance went from overdrawn to over $200,000 (due to Jayne's watchful eye and her daily reports) then they will reelect me as President. I will then be in a position to complete some of David Glover's dreams as they relate to Web interactivity and bring our Association into the 21st century. It's already happening through the efforts of dedicated members like Steve Roti.

I'm currently working with an organization that is preparing a program destined for Nova or Discovery that shows our sport in a more intellectual light.

Programs like this should help stimulate those members of the public with leisure time who are intellectually qualified to

Continued on page 41.

First Time In The

by Peter Warren

Most pilots have heard ofthe Owens Valley. On top ofthe hill or in the bar, when stories of epic sites are being tossed around, someone will mention the Owens with its big air and long cross-country flights. He'll also tell of booming thermals, hang gliders snapped to bits, and people bailing out oftheir harnesses in strong winds.

T

hese stories are all second hand because that person has never been there himself In fact, not coo many people have, and so the Owens is talked about with a distant reverence. It has become a fabled place, like the place where your granddad trudged 10 miles through the snow uphill both ways co school. Ir makes a good story, but it doesn't seem quite real.

Alec Chattaway decided that he wanted co find out for himself He figured that, if the stories about great fall flying in the Owens were even half true, then what better place to spend an extended weekend at the end of September. A low-key e-mail went out co the local mailing list, and before we knew it there were about 25 people lined up and raring co go. Of course, this number dwindled co about 12 when all was said and done.

I saw the note and decided that this trip would be a great introduction co the Owens. There would be experienced pilots who had flown various launches and plenty of people for easier retrieves. So, I caravaned out with Alec on Thursday. Alec had scared up a driver, Richard, through a loose connection of e-mail affiliations. Richard didn't know any of the pilots but figured that an all-expenses-paid weekend in the mountains driving other people's cars through the dirt wouldn't be half bad.

24

We arrived at the Elms Motel Thursday night at about 10:00 PM. "Quiet, clean and reasonable," the sign said - the hallmark of all fine lodging establishments. The next morning we were up and at the Kava Coffeehouse by nine co meet up with Shankar and Steve. The forecast winds aloft were light and variable at 6,000' and 9,000', east at 11 knots at 12,000', and north at 22 knots at 18,000'. The weather channel called for afternoon south winds from 10 co 20 mph. In the sky we could see a few high, wispy, layer clouds. Conditions looked flyable, so we decided that a warm-up flight or two at Flynn's would be good before heading up co Paiure for the real flight of the day.

As a first-time pilot in the Owens I didn't really know what to expect. I had had a dream about going there a few nights before in which a tiny creek wormed through a dry, rocky riverbed framed in the background by cowering, jagged, bone-dry mountains. Ir turns our that my dream wasn't coo far off. As we drove coward Flynn's the terrain struck me as barren, inhospitable, daunting. Ar the same time, the mountains seemed majestic, grandiose, otherworldly. I found myself using the word "moonscape" several times over the weekend. Later, as I flew over the mountains from a better vantage point, the twisted, red, yellow and white rock formations rein-

forced my impression. Every ridge brought a new spectacle, and none of it seemed like anything I'd ever seen before.

Emily, my girlfriend, had passed on the trip and asked me over the phone what it was like. The best description I could come up with was "hard core." The roads up co launch require a car with 4WD low and a competent driver to navigate the ruts and rocks and avoid the drop-offs. The launches at Flynn's and Paiure are composed of sharp shale that could easily fray or cut a line.

PARAGLIDING

Small, thorny plants suffering under the sun tangle themselves in your lines out of spite. The landscape is desolate, and even in September the heat was substantial.

We paused in the Flynn's LZ to get a few flying tips from Shankar and for Steve to provide Richard with an exhaustive session on how to use the CPS for retrieves time well spent if we wanted to make it back to the cozy Elms motel that night.

Then we continued up the rocky road to Flynn's launch, about a 15-minute trip.

NOVEMBER

2001

Full ofhope on Sunday morning.

25

The wind was cycling in from the southwest at a moderate two to six mph, and the few high layer clouds were still present but insubstantial. Out came the wings and off we all went for short flights of about 10 minutes. A few thermals were bubbling up but there was nothing big enough to stay aloft in. Immediately I noticed that the air was more fickle than at most of the sites I had flown. The wing seemed to depressurize periodically even though the air wasn't very strong, so I tried to stay on top of things and not become complacent. Throughout the trip we kept mentioning how thankful we were not to be flying here in the middle of summer.

The place was an oven at the end of September. I can't imagine July.

By the time we were all down and packed up it was 12:30 PM and time to head over to Paiute. Driving up the rocky switchbacks and peering over the steep drop-offs, we marveled at how the road was ever built in the first place. After about 45 minutes we arrived at launch. The wind was still southwest but was stronger, cycling between 8 and 15. The launch at Paiute was similar to Flynn's but with a few bigger rocks mixed in with the shale and less space to lay out your wing.

Steve launched first and worked for a while to get up, but finally made his way above launch and slowly got smaller and smaller. Ir looked like nothing was going to come easy on this day. Shankar headed off afterwards and slowly sank out of sight.

Alec and I laid out in two spots about 50 feet apart. The wind didn't seem very strong, but when I pulled up I got lifted off and was flying backwards 5 to 10 feet off the ground. I expected the wing to gain some forward speed, but when I kept going backwards, and the hill started sloping

26

United States Hang Gliding Association, Inc ..

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me Renew f'rlbersh. 0our Re 0 1°n-fine.

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PARAGLIDING

Launuhuig b~g.t~;

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. . . an. a . . . • . < .• > c .iway,to see: Ovef<W i~ was agii:at day wfoli 1or,s: of p~ots; ge~ngJlc>ts pf:lti~l:me: .. ·. .•. . ..... ·.• ·• . · ne ~ t gay the win~ li~~ turned east . iµ1d wtllea,ded·1;0 M~f~e~'~, ~ e~t~fadnt la~n¢h' pq the Sterr1n,iae•of:the yalley-, The ·

shoots, and getletally ting aw'ay oi1 the flr~t: me, as lwas probafalf

piloi:1:here1;We watdi and headecl ~puth in

.rherm:als: Now.ii was.tii.tr•t away arid •head~d..out, Peet:~

. #ii:etiian"Was:ri\6re','outh¢asrwhenW:e gt:1~ 1;h~~:.anrl gµ~fing ftob1 fo~r ttl :22:tnphf ;We de¢iije~Etq: ha.it, This was ft•fon1.rew ofais.'t!:l ··

was last; I found a .nlcefthe out to 10;~00'.agafa an4bal.Jiif$,~l.lw.jif m:~e.the sbc~hdt.itr'dtive.:lto~e. . see ]oe about 2,000' b,elo~, bpa~l~giaWul\~# I've •Only b~n· to one otlie~ site compara, .Pete Wit$ about 4,000'. l:,:e]oWj!Uld:it.~~n,; :,1. •. ·•· ·•· biett;i th,eQ.wen~, the (;hapala region ·in look;ed like he missed · · ·.

JL M!W¢P,•th~ .s~bje"rof:an .,p:tide afeW, ww; going tci land! l mon~~ ago. 'fcli~ .QW,eta~is :cl~ser .11h4 doe, liil;e iliermal tr,igger . nop · · . . , its teputation, however,, we did ,. w~ .asuallfr~qed h.ave lot qf ~lfpkrie11~~4 .nilots ih:h µ$ an~ I Aftet,ffew miles 1, •. . • .,. ,tjot r~9o~c11ds?itjg t:here aJ~ntI fooll;ing.fbr sqmewlier ; w~i,t . have fovea; t9 have h~diili!ii b.enefH of · 3,000' above and de¢i .. I<aii (;3~cle's CQlllpanidnship. Everrone t •..

Fly1111,'s'. I 'also heard t. spq'.lti t<1 says thitt thi$ is ~lll~t. Next tirne ·whohad'gone much .·... sjireshe'$ ii~ thec9uhtiy fltst. ,I had turned east and cth'cii .~utoriver ruql'Ntd enjo)eed the trip.

One hill before Flyrim'sl . . . .

H' •. :mos11 ot~i,• at1d h~ coµldn t 4elieve that p~oiliat apparently caµght.$Han~i '!Uld~¢.li1i~g•• '·· •pie .wot.ikl aetuitlly pay:Wm to drlve . off~roitd! n

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27

away behind me, I grabbed the C's and killed the wing when I got close to the ground. Then, of course, I had to suffer through plucking my lines out of the prickly scrub bushes while sweltering under all my long underwear and fleece. At this point I caught a glimpse of Shankar above launch and felt some hope for the day.

I balled the wing up in my arms and walked back to launch. Alec was still there, sorting himself out. He launched promptly and I followed right after him. He headed south where we'd seen Steve go up. I headed right after him a few hundred yards behind.

He started going up, and I watched him fly up and away while I kept sinking without so much as a wind gust. We were over the canyon to the south at this point, so I headed down along the north side of the canyon, hoping to find some thermals wicking off that side because of the south wind. I kept heading down the north side, only once pausing to make a few passes in a thermal that quickly petered out, all the while thinking, "Grear, I'm going to be the one who sinks out in the Owens."

Launch is at about 8,000 feet and the LZ is at about 4,500, and it wasn't until I nearly reached the flats that lead to the LZ that I found a thermal. I was at 6,100' and climbed in this thermal to over 11,000'.

Meanwhile, I had lost sight of the others, so I slowly meandered north over the mountains, mostly between 11,000' and 13,000', . although at one point I reached 14,300'. I

28

left the thermal at that alrirude because I was nervous about hypoxia and also a bit cold.

I continued working my way north from point to point and ridge to ridge, pausing for lifr wherever I found it and marveling at the views. Every ridge brought with it new sights and new colors: jagged crags, jutting rocks and erratic canyons, hewn by a geological struggle of titanic proportions and painted with a rusty palette. I was awed by the terrain and snapped lots of picrures whenever I got high enough to feel comfortable. Since I couldn't see anyone or hear them on the radio, I was in no hurry.

The Owens Valley is sandwiched between the Sierra Nevadas on the west and the White Mountains on the east. The Whites run north from Paiute for about 25 miles and then break to the east before circling back around in a U. Where the Whites headed east, I continued straight north over the flats. Since the wind was south, I didn't want to mess with any rotor caused by the Whites after they turned.

I picked out a nice-looking LZ right next to Highway 6 for an easy retrieve.

From the air, all the terrain around there looks benign, and it's not until you get down near ground level that you can see the mess of foot-and-a-half-tall scrub that's anxious to trip you on your landing. Knowing this, I picked a spot that looked marble smooth. I reached it with plenty of height and made a few 360's to assure myself of

the wind direction before landing softly at 5:26 PM. I took my helmet off and relaxed for a moment. The flight had taken two hours and 26 minutes, and I was ready for a breather and happy to be down on the warm ground. I picked up my GPS to determine coordinates for the retrieve, but it wasn't until later that I figured out the distance of my fuse cross-country flight: 27.7 miles.

Afrer calling Richard for a retrieve I got a call from Shankar. It turned out he'd landed about a mile up the road from me for a distance of 28.25 miles. I took my time packing up and savored the warm colors of the desert at sunset before making my way to the road. Steve and Shankar pulled up while I was walking, and Richard and Alec showed up just after. At the barbed-wire fence near the road, Steve grabbed my bag for me and Shankar offered me a frozen banana. I was exhausted and really appreciated both little kindnesses.

The first day had been a good one with everyone going X-C. Now it was rime to relax with some dinner and a cold beer (a frosty banana can only carry you so far).

Day two dawned with a clear sky and temperatures feeling a shade cooler (at least that's what we were optimistically telling each other). It was back to Kava again to group up with everyone. On this day we had a crew of 12: Shankar Narayanaswamy, Steve Young, Alec Chattaway, Martin Lades, Tom Moock, George Morford, Paulina Concha, Darren Guberman, Jumpin' Joe, Christina Raimondo, Tin Ilakovac and myself Again, a few of us decided to hit Flynn's before Paiute, while the rest headed straight to Paiute.

We arrived at launch at Flynn's at about 11: 15 AM and found the winds cross from the north and strong, cycling up to 17 mph.

So, we sat there and waited, more out of indecision than any conviction that it was going to get better. But as we dallied the wind lessened and straightened out a bit. We managed to get in the air before noon and found some workable thermals. We boated around for a while in mellow morning thermals, and I managed to work my way up about 1,500 feet over launch and back to the ridges behind. Two others were landing at this point so I headed out toward the LZ to pack up for the trip to Paiute. In hindsight we should have stayed at Flynn's and just gotten up and flown from there, but no one thought of this at the time.

PARAGLIDING

So, we headed to Paiute. When we got there, none of the ocher group had launched yet. Cycles were fairly strong, up to about 15 mph, and the wind was from the northwest. Soon afi:er we arrived, Tom, Tin, Christina and Darren lobbed themselves off the hill, and despite valiant efforts slowly sank downward. Bue a few minutes lacer the group had worked themselves up above launch and scarred drifting to the south. A steady stream of gliders hie the air afi:er chat.

Mose pilots ended up flying to the south and had good X-C flights of about 10 to 15 miles. Noc me. I launched second to last and found decent life right off launch, but ic was small and turbulent so I decided to look for something else. Well, something else was hard to find. I headed over the canyon to the south where some people had found life, and tried to work the north face, hoping the wind would push the thermals up chat side. I found enough life to maintain but could never gee more than about 1,000 feet over the ground. I cried all the peaks, points, ridges, bulges and undulations I could make it to in my local area, but nothing offered me any sustained life.

Finally, afi:er about an hour and a half between 6,000 and 7,500 feet, I got low and started heading out over the flats toward the LZ (which is pretty much indistinguishable from the rest of the valley floor - in fact, I still don't chink I know where the LZ really is). Although resigned co my face I was still desperately hoping co gee up. Ac around 5,800', about 500' over the flats, I found a weak thermal chat I fought co stay in. le drifted back coward the spine, and once ic reached the slope scarred strengthening.

All the ocher pilots had disappeared co the south long before (except for Jumpin' Joe who had a nice hour-long flight over the flats and kept me company for a while). Bue as I struggled in my little thermal I noticed two wings heading back from the south.

One was Tin, and he was just a shade higher than I. He saw me in my little thermal and made a beeline for me. He came into the thermal a bit above me and together we worked ic up and up co over 12,500'. How nice to be away from the ground for once char day! He left at chat point and continued about 15 miles to the north. I found out lacer char he had earlier gone south about 15 miles, turned around and came back, and then continued north. What a flight! Muse have been chat oxygen he had.

NOVEMBER

2001

29

11111

The other pilot who returned was Tom. Tom had also gone south about 15 miles and returned. Instead of continuing on to the north, he top-landed at Paiute to drive down the one car that remained at launch.

We all bequeathed him many karma points at dinner.

I was exhausted from trying to get up for so long and decided to boat around in what had become a big, fat, non-stop thermal. My GPS gave out at about this point, but I continued up for a while longer and had a nice view to the east over the Whites before heading directly out over the valley for some mellow air to end the day in.

The air was dead calm high over the val-

30

ley, but thankfully got toastier as I slowly descended. I started thinking about my landing well above the valley floor. I'd had a few recent no-wind landings that I'd had to run out, and I wanted to make this one as hassle free as possible. Since I couldn't get ground speed from my dead GPS, I scouted for wind indicators. A dust plume in the distance indicated a very slow south drift. A few 360's made me think that the wind was south as well, but it was hard to tell. Below me a couple of ATV's kicked up dust that actually drifted ro the south, indicating a slight north wind. I found a nice dirt road amidst the scrub brush and finally committed to landing to the south.

Boy, was I coming in fast, I thought as I approached the ground. I think I flared hard, but I could see there was no hope for running this one out. My feet touched the ground together for an instant before I tumbled headlong into a bristly bush that nicely cushioned my stop. The dirt is actually loose and soft in the desert there, and makes for a nice landing pad, especially if you can find a dry, crusty, thorny bush to aid your deceleration, which isn't hard to find. I dusted myself off, marked the time for my twohour, 21-minute flight, and started packing up.

The next day Ross Bishop joined us and we headed up to McGee's, an east-facing launch, to try to cope with the southeast winds. The winds at launch were strong and cross, and even Tom packed in his wing. I was half relieved to get a day off. Of course, you always hope each day will offer some epic new flying adventure, but the past two days had been a terrific introduction to the Owens for me and I was thankful to leave with over five and a half hours of airtime and my first cross-country flight under my belt. And now, since we were leaving early, I could look forward to a daylight trip through the majestic scenery of Yosemite.

The trip was a blast, and I want to thank Alec for providing the spark and organizing many of the details, and Richard, our nonflying driver, who received his first introduction to the magic of paragliding and seemed to genuinely enjoy himself despite the incessant talk of crabbing, scratching, thermal triggers, lapse rates and lenticulars. 1111

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Transitioning from P2 to P3 at "The Point" With

by Matt Gaskin

Ifyou've acquired the USHGA minimums to obtain your P2 rating, you've only just begun your journey to acquire piloting knowledge and experience. Gaining that experience can be difficult and dangerous, and it's difficult because most ofthe regu/,ated sites require a P3 rating for access. Ifyou're a P2, you will probably have to fly with a P3- or higher-rated pilot, or fly under the direction ofyour instructor.

32

T

hese can be severe limitations and have probably caused many a pilot to give up the sport. The alternative, flying unregulated sites without supervision, can be extremely dangerous.

The USHGA requirement for P3 includes 30 days of flying with 90 flights and 20 hours of flight time. As an EastCoast P2 pilot, I've often felt frustrated by the local site requirements that you be a P3 pilot before you truly have free access to most these sites. This limits your freedom to fly, and to accumulate the hours and experience you need to advance to a P3.

I followed the route of many of my fellow P2's by taking several trips (usually one each year) with supervised instruction to sites that offered greater opportunities to fly and gain the experience needed to become a P3. However, even these were subject to the vagaries of weather. Over a period of almost three years I accumulated the USHGA minimums for a P3 rating, however, I felt that my skills needed to be improved as I moved up to that level.

I chose Utah's Point of the Mountain in Salt Lake City and Scotty Marion to help e make the transition. The Point has fairly consistent weather conditions that allow flying at the south site from about 7:00 to 10:00 AM. The wind reverses in the evening due to the nearby lakes, and the north side is flyable from about 4:00 to 7:00 PM. These sites have both ridge lift and some thermal lift under the proper conditions.

The north site easily allows you to gain about 1,400 feet over launch so that you are l ,700 feet over the landing wne.

Scotty Marion is the current U.S. Paragliding Champion and an advanced paraglider instructor. I regard him as the "Tiger Woods" of paragliding. He flies and wins handily in paraglider competitions. He was recommended to me by a friend, Steve Sullivan, who had visited the Point last year and also went to Brazil with Scotty. Scotty is part of a group of advanced instructors and paraglider pilots who read like the "Who's Who" of paragliding. This group includes Scotty Marion, Dale Covington, Chris Santacroce, Ken Hudonjorgensen, Bo Criss and Ryan Swan. They operate a facility near the Point called the Paragliding Academy. Scotty has boundless energy when it comes to paragliding, and he is an avid promoter of the sport and pilot safety.

He is patient but demanding in his instruc-

PARAGLIDING

rion, and always looking to expand yorn piloting knowledge at a pace that will keep you safe.

My brother, Bill, of Oklahoma City, who had never experienced paragliding before and was attending and raking lessons at my urging, accompanied me on this trip.

Bill spent a total of five days with us. Scotty was able to work with him to get him started in this area. The fellow students with whom I flew were Mark Sutton of New York, Dave Wuescher of Los Angeles and Richard Eyre of Salt Lake City. I met a host of other pilots drning the eight days I was in the area.

We started with reverse launching and kiting skills, and were encouraged to feel the wing while it was flying overhead and trying to become one with it through practice. Scotty assured us that if we could fly the wing on the ground, we would be better pilots in the air. We learned to control the energy of the wing during high-wind inflations by stepping toward the glider as it was launched. We learned to control the pitch of the glider by kiting near the edge of the launch area while an experienced pilot buzzed the edge to generate turbulence. We

NOVEMBER

2001

Scotty Marion demonstratingforward kiting technique on South Side, Point ofthe Mountain.

would have to control our glider while kiting at the edge with the proper amount of braking. Until going to the Point, I had rarely encountered another paraglider's turbulence. While at the Point, this type of encounter became a common experience.

Scotty encouraged us to become active pilots of our gliders and not just passengers.

We learned the ridge-soaring rules and then practiced them by actively participating in this baller in the sky. Bill described this exercise as something that looked like a carnival ride without cables.

We attended ground school almost every day and were introduced to or reviewed topics such as weather, ridge soaring, thermaling, launching and landing techniques, harness fit-up and proper weight shifting. We also viewed videos of exceptionally good and bad paragliding.

We could recognize ourselves doing the bad paragliding during our early training as we learned to become pilots. Now we were striving to become better and safer pilots.

We spent an entire class practicing pulling and throwing our reserves. Each of us threw the dummy reserve from a position similar to the way it is carried on our har-

33

ness (top-rear, side, or from) until our throw was strong and our follow-up was appropnace.

We practiced maneuvers under the direction of Scotty Marion and Dale Covington. Dale is a veteran, 10-year instructor who assisted Scotty whenever our group exceeded three students. We practiced big ears, using the speed bar, weight shifting and coordinated rums, braking for turbulence and top-landings. We also tried small frontals (front stalls) and asymmetries with weight shifting to control turning and thus prevent spins.

We made many higher-wind launches and landings, and did active piloting drills while learning to relax while flying. We were also encouraged to be aware of our surroundings and the air we were flying through. The soaring birds were always pointed our as great markers in the sky, for they are truly the best pilots.

We flew the Point, north and south, West Mountain and Stockton, Utah. We traveled into the Wasatch Mountains through Cottonwood Canyon on one day to fly a site between Park City and Salt Lake City. However, the anticipated thermals never grew large enough to overcome the base wind from the wrong direction at this site. The drive and hike were exhilarating and the view was spectacular, but we weren't able to fly. We learned that the weather and availability of a good landing site limit even the best of pilots.

I went to Salt Lake City with the bare USHGA minimums for a P3, and left with an additional 14 hours of airtime, 25 additional flights, and the knowledge and confidence to fly safely and legally as a P3 pilot. I recommend this program for all P2 pilots who feel that they've been "kicked out of the nest" too soon, are about to transition to P3, or who just want to gain more confidence and airtime, and have a terrific piloting experience. Scotty can be contacted through his website at www.pointofthemountain.com or by phone at 1-801-flyaway.

My brother Bill had a great time and came away with an appreciation for motorless flight. He wants to go back to the Point and finish training for his P2 certification with Scotty or Dale. We are already talking about our next trip together after that, perhaps to Mexico or Brazil.

Fly safe, fly high, and fly long. •

Scotty demonstrating kiting on the Point's south side.

34

PARAGLIDING

..__ _d/h'e launch stands more than 1,600 feet above the LZ, and many of the pilots on launch hiked the two miles of rough, poorly maintained trail to get here.

Climbing an average of 800 feet per mile, the trail earns a moderately difficult rating in the hiking world, but several of the pilots who lugged their glider packs up there made it look like it should be rated much worse.

But as rough as the trail is, it was not the problem. The real cause of the fatigue, soreness and discomfort of the hikers/pilots was their approach to hiking.

Paraglider pilots make use of some of the most advanced technology when it comes to their gear, from precision electronics in varios and GPS receivers to miracle fibers in their wings and lines. But all too often, when pilots hike to a launch site, they ignore the marvelous advances in hiking equipment and techniques. That's a mistake, and one I hope to help rectify.

For the record, I'm a novice pilot. I just earned my P2 rating a year ago, and I don't presume to be able to offer even the barest advice about the art of flying. But when it comes to hiking, I know a few things. I'm literally paid to hike and backpack. For the past decade I've earned my living writing trail guidebooks and reviewing gear for a variety of hiking magazines.

With that background I can tell you that paraglider pilots do themselves no good deed by ignoring the advances in the hiking world. Not only will hiking techniques and gear design malce you more comfortable getting to launch, some of the equipment will also make you more comfortable aloft.

Fortunately, I'm not alone in noting this. Several companies have begun to address some of the needs of the paragliding community, while others offer products that are ideally suited as crossovers from the hiking world into the flying world.

Let's start with something simple: clothing.

In the last 20 years, hikers have come to realize that cotton, while a wonderful fabric in which to lounge, just plain sucks when it comes to hiking. That is, it sucks up moisture, and holds it. Cotton does a great job of absorbing sweat during a hot, sticky climb to launch, but it doesn't dry well. So, once on top of the hill, you're left in cold, clammy clothing. For hikers, this means the

NOVEMBER 2001

Taking The Pain ut ingTo aunch article and photos by Dan A. Nelson

Standing atop Tiger Mountain's Poo Poo Point for my first flight ftom Tiger, I noticed two things: The launch looked incredible and many ofthe other pilots looked miserable.

Pilot wearing the Critter Mountain Skytrek pack atop Washington's Mount Baldy.

risk of hypothermia at worst, and a chilly, miserable stay at the summit at best. For pilots who hike in denim jeans and T-shirts, it means an even greater risk of hypothermia. Wet clothing against the skin, even under a flight suit, can suck the heat right of your body when you core up to the

frigid air at cloudbase.

To avoid the problems associated with cotton, turn to the new fabrics used in active outdoor (i.e., hiking) and adventure travel apparel. For instance, instead of cotton T-shirts, hike to launch in a T-shirt made from CoolMax or, better yet,

35

PowerDry. These fabrics absorb sweat moisture, but unlike cotton they pull the moisture away from your skin and deposit it on the outside of the garment where it dries quickly. CoolMax, a Dupont fiber, performs this "moisture management" function quickly and effectively, but the fibers can retain odor over time, even through washings. That means your favorite CoolMax flight shirt will soon smell worse than the north end of a southbound skunk.

PowerDry, made by Malden Mills, is a Polartec fabric (the same family of fibers as your favorite fleece jacket) that masters moisture management nearly as well as CoolMax, but it also has a cotton-like feel on the skin and offers a bit of insulation value (even when wet) and it doesn't retain odor. Scores of companies now offer PowerDry shirts in a variety of styles, from straight T-shirts to long-sleeve, zippered turtlenecks. Most outdoor retail stores carry PowerDry shirts from an assortment of companies, including Mountain Hardwear, The North Face, Cannondale, REI, EMS and more.

In place of denim jeans, pilots should consider nylon pants for the hike to launch. I prefer convertible pants (found at any outdoor store or in the adventure travel section oflarger department stores) which feature zip-off legs, thus turning into shorts. The versatility of nylon convertible pants means you can hike to launch wearing shorts (to stay cooler) and fly in pants without having to remove your boots and change your clothes. The nylon fabric dries quickly, thus eliminating the "clammy leg" syndrome common to hikers who wear denim jeans, and is typically durable and abrasion resistant.

(NOTE: For pilots who drive to launch, cotton remains a functional fabric. It is only when saturated with sweat that cotton loses its functionality. When flying at drive-up sites, I typically wear durable cotton clothing, such as that offered by KAVU, a company built and managed by Barry Barr, who is himself a paraglider pilot.)

Moving past apparel, the biggest pain associated with hiking to launch stems from

36

the cumbersome nature of our glider packs.

The standard packs that come with most gliders these days are essentially duffel bags with inexpensive shoulder straps added almost as an afrerthought. These bags aren't designed for carrying your glider any far-

Hanwag Fly 2000 boots with Superfeet foot beds. ther than the distance from your car to launch at drive-up flying sites. Pilots who hike to launch have been suffering with the shoulder-slicing suspension systems of these bags for years.

Fortunately, one of our own recognized this problem. Using his lifelong experience as a backcountry skier, hiker and mountain climber, Richard "Critter" Kocurek developed a series of glider packs that are big enough to swallow all that bulky paragliding gear, but that utilize the best technologies found in internal-frame backpacks used in the mountain communities.

Richard, owner and operator of Critter Mountain Wear, produces the SkyTrek Pack, which makes hiking to launch a breeze. I field-tested the SkyTrek at sites around the Pacific Northwest and was stunned with its performance. The SkyTrek boasts a roomy cargo compartment, big enough to swallow my large Windtech Ambar, my bulky harness, a full-face helmet, radio and other instruments, flight suit, water bottles, and assorted other gear

and food. But the spaciousness isn't what sets the SkyTrek apart. No, the SkyTrek is a unique pack because it not only holds that gear, but holds it firmly in place, with no shifting or swaying during a long slog up a trail. The pack features an internal compress strap and three external compress straps on each side to snug the load into a tight, immobile package. Then, to keep that load firmly and comfortably in place on your back, Critter integrated a molded plastic frame sheet backed with aluminum stays to stiffen and support the pack. Coupled with the wellpadded and contoured shoulder straps and wide hip belt, the result is a suspension system that rivals those found on internal-frame backpacks on the market.

Critter Mountain's SkyTrek pack, built as an internalframe backpack, but made for hauling paragliders, puts the weight of the backpack where it needs to be to keep it stable and to reduce pain and discomfort on your hips and back. As someone who has field-tested more than 50 models of backpacks in the last half-dozen years, I can attest to the effectiveness and comfort on the SkyTrek in canying loads.

The top-of-the--line SkyTrek is made from Spectra cloth, a nylon packcloth reinforced with Spectra fibers, that is virtually indestructible. It is abrasion resistant yet very light and compactable. That, coupled with the fact that Critter designed the plastic frame sheet to be as narrow and short as possible, means the SkyTrek easily fits in the storage pocket of most modern glider harnesses.

Nearly as impressive as its performance, the SkyTrek sells for half what a comparably made backpack would in the hiking world.

The Spectra cloth version sells for $239, while the standard Cordura version, sells for $190. Visit www.crittermountainwear.com.

As important as the way you carry the weight on your back is what you wear on your feet. Pilots face a number of unique circumstances that require a lot of compromise in their footwear selection. As I began PARAGLIDING

my flight training I was convinced that I could comfortably fly wearing my standard hiking boots. But there are a few problems with this.

First, traditional hiking boots feature open-ended lace hooks, meaning glider lines can easily snag on them. This could lead to aborted launches, or worse, launches with your feet being tugged up over your head. Hiking boot uppers also generally stop just about at the anklebone. This provides adequate support and protection for that joint in a stumble or tumble on the ground, but leaves the ankle vulnerable to heavier impacts from lofry positions.

Finally, most hiking boots feature stiff, durable midsoles to help protect your foot from bruising impacts on rocks and roots on the trail. Unfortunately, that means cushionless landing gear for pilots.

Still, despite the drawbacks, I was unwilling to give up trail comfort and protection in my boots when hiking to launch.

So, I researched boots made for paraglider pilots and found a couple of European trekking boot companies that developed paragliding boots based on their mountaineering and hiking designs.

Hanwag, a German boot maker with a strong reputation in the trekking and hiking boot market, offers the Fly 2000 paragliding boot. These boots have been available for years, but Hanwag has continued to modify and improve the design. The latest incarnation of the Fly 2000 features a cushioned midsole that resists compression (that is, it retains its shape rather than compressing into a hard mass after repeated use) and an all-leather upper that runs several inches above the anklebone. Inside this upper are semi-rigid plastic support sheets that allow forward flexing of the ankle and foot but resist lateral twisting and bending.

The lacing system now boasts ball-bearing lace hoops, which allow the laces to glide through the hoops easier, making it possible to cinch them snug with little resistance. A stout rubber band encircles the base of the uppers, preventing abrasion from trail and launch conditions from wearing holes in the leather. The out-sole boasts aggressive lugs and durable rubber that sticks well to rocks, making for good trail traction. I found that by undoing the laces from the top three lace loops, I had plenty of forward flex for steep trail climbs, and with the boots laced to the top I had wonderfully comfortable and supportive landing gear.

NOVEMBER

2001

The l Ianwag Fly 2000 boots tend to be high-volume, meaning there might be a little extra room across the top of the foot.

This can be largely mitigated by using a pair of custom insoles, such as those provided

by Superfeet, and socks sewn from thick, dense material.

SmartWool produces a wonderful line of Merino wool socks boasting a tight, dense weave. I prefer, however, a synthetic fiber which is better able to move and manage moisture (from sweat).

The Bridgedale Trekker socks feature a blend of wool and synthetics to move sweat away from the skin, while providing a soft, silky feel. For the ultimate in foot comfort, however, you should buy the boots from a retailer trained in precision boot fitting. Doug Stroop and Denise Reed at the Washington office of Dixon's Airplay have such training.

Hanwag Fly 2000's sell for approximately $240 and many paragliding schools and retailers carry them.

Another European boot company, Crispi, has a strong reputation in the mountaineering and backcountry skiing communities. They, too, have turned this experience to the paragliding market, creating a series of boots for pilots. The middletiered Paratec boots boast many of the same features as the Hanwag, but they are lower volume, making them a good choice for folks with low arches, flat feet or narrow feet. With a smaller distribution network, the Crispi boots are a bit more difficult to find.

Paraglider pilots have beneficed in the past by borrowing from other outdoor sports. The Camelbaks and other hydration systems commonly used by cross-country pilots were developed for runners, hikers and backpackers. The handheld GPS receivers used to chart X-C flights came

The Critter Mountain Skytrek pack.

from the general outdoor market.

Compact, watch-based altimeters and handheld anemometers were developed for mountaineers and wilderness researchers.

Pilots who hike to launch sites will do well to continue that tradition of borrowing from the trail community. The end result will be greater comfort and safety on the trail, and in the air.

RESOURCES www.crittermountainwear.com www.Hanwag.com www.paragliding.com www.Polartec.com www.KAVU.com www.Smartwool.com www.bridgedale.com

Dan A. Nelson, a P2 pilot, is editor of Washington Trails magazine and a columnist for the Seattle Times "Outdoors" section. He is a also a regular contributor to Backpacker

magazine. Ill

37

Have you ever heard someone say, ''Paragliding isn't any more dangerous than driving"? This may be true, considering how some pilots drive to launch, but on average it appears that pilots are three to six times more likely to die flying than driving.

T

o put this in perspective, riding a motorcycle is 16 times more likely to result in a fatality than driving. However, fatalities don't begin to tell the story of the risks involved in paragliding. Most of us who have been flying for a few years have grown weary of the steady stream of broken bones and visits to friends in the hospital.

It's easy to say that aviation is just inherently risky, but why then is commercial aviation the safest way to travel?

Commercial aircraft are exposed to many of the same risks as paragliders. The difference is that in commercial aviation the risks are deliberately and thoughtfully managed. Not just crashes, but incidents are thoroughly investigated to learn what went wrong and how to do better next time. Accident reporting helps identify the sources of risk, but risk management is needed to keep the risks in line with the joy of flying.

While we manage risk continuously in our everyday lives, we are not particularly good at it. We tend to judge risk based on fear, which may or may not be a good indicator of risk. For example, most people have a natural fear of heights, so if we use our fear of heights to guide our risk assessment, we should fly very close to the ground. In addition, it is human nature to underestimate risks - something termed "optimistic bias" in the language of risk analysis. And who could be more optimistic than a group of people who think they can fly, strapped to some nylon by skinny little strings?

To begin replacing our fear-based risk assessment with managed risk, it is helpful to understand the relationship between risk and probability. A useful definition of risk states that risk is the probability of an event multiplied by the consequences.

Probability is a number between O and 1, with 1 being a sure thing and O being impossible. So, if the consequence is very large, like a serious, life-altering injury, the risk will be high even if the probability is very small. Alternatively, if the conse-

38

quences are minor, the risk is small even if the probability is very high.

So how does this help us make sound piloting decisions? Let's say you are flying along and could fly to the next field or land in a closer field. You think you can make it, but if you encounter a headwind there is a chance you could come up short.

Of course, if you come up short, you might have to walk a couple of hundred yards. Most of us need the exercise, so the consequences are minor, and even given the considerable probability of not making your expected glide, the total risk is small, so go for it. On the other hand, change the field to a narrow canyon with raging rapids and power lines. Now, consider the risks.

Even if the probability of not making your glide is extremely small, the extreme consequences make for relatively high risk.

Understanding the definition of risk is great for risks we know and understand, but the vast majority of failures, whether paragliding injuries or space-shuttle disasters, result from unknown risks. Recently a relatively inexperienced pilot visited a popular coastal ridge-soaring site. The wind was light and no other pilots were flying.

He attributed the lack of pilots to the conditions being less than soarable. Figuring that, being a new pilot, a sled ride would be good practice, he chose to fly. The result was broken bones and a harrowing helicopter rescue. What went wrong? The pilot thought he had assessed the risks and certainly didn't feel a simple sled ride involved a large risk. This pilot learned about the unknown risk the hard way.

Later, this pilot was subjected to a chorus of pilots who questioned why he would even think of flying that site in those conditions, and to stories of other luckless pilots who had tried the same thing he did.

This makes the point that most unknown risks are not unknown by everyone. Ask your friend with the cast ifhe understood the risks behind the decisions leading up to his crash. Chances are, something he did not anticipate hurt him, but given the proper knowledge he could have anticipat-

,0

ed and avoided the crash. Through experience and communication we can minimize unknown risks, but never eliminate them.

We can't possibly be expected to understand and analyze every risk, so how can we manage risks that we don't even know exist? Fortunately, managing unknown risks is no more complicated than accounting for the known risks. An engineer designing a building or airplane part analyzes the known risks, then accounts for possible unknown risks by adding a factor of safety. Depending on the consequences of failure and how well the risks are understood, this factor of safety is typically two to five times the calculated value. Because of the universal application of this concept in engineering, building collapses and cataPARAGLIDING

·sk nP

strophic mechanical failures in aircraft are exceedingly rare. This same concept can be applied to piloting decisions.

Let's return to our discussion of gliding to the next field. If the consequences involve only a short walk, there is not much need for an extra margin for safety.

In fact, this would be a good time to test your glide angle estimation skills. Make a note of how far your estimated glide varied from reality. With a stack of estimates under varying conditions in your experience bank, you are ready for the next step:

NOVEMBER

2001

estimating your glide when you absolutely, positively must not come up short. What was your worst estimate ever?

Let's say you estimate that you can glide four times farther than the width of Death Canyon, but there was that one time you came up with only half of your estimated glide. Just like the engineer designing an aircraft part, this worst-case glide should be

your base estimate.

Using your worst-case estimate, you can glide twice as far as the canyon is wide.

This could be considered a safety factor of two. Is a factor of two enough? Consider the consequences and the unknown risks that could possibly be involved. Also, is

39

there some compelling reason to cross the canyon? For most of us who plan a few thousand more flights, a factor of two involves far too much risk.

The only way to completely eliminate the risks of flying is not to fly. Since for most of us this is not a desirable option, we must learn to manage risk and find a balance between risk and the experience of flight. Learning to manage risk is just like any other skill involved in flying. It muse be learned and mistakes will be made. The trick is to learn from the mistakes without paying too high a price.

Considering the consequences and leaving room for the inevitable mistake keeps the price down. Often the only difference between an incident and an accident is altitude. The inevitable mistakes and incidents will be learning experiences rather than setbacks. Learning about what can happen on full speed bar with lots of altitude is one way to gain experience; without lots of altitude it is a good way to stop gaining experience. An even better way to gain experience is to learn from the mistakes of others. The history of aviation is filled with pilots who gave their bones and lives to learning hard lessons. Making the same mistake again dishonors the memory of the pioneers who made the dream of flight a reality.

The old cliche could never be truer: Judgment comes from experience, experience comes from lack of judgment.

TOTALLY UNSCIENTIFIC TOP NINE LIST OF RISKS 9) Long drives- It is just as blown out after a 20-hour drive as after a 20minute drive.

8) Hot wings- It's not the wing, it's the pilot.

7) Relevant experience- It's what you don't know that's going to hurt you.

6) Health and physical fitness - Those extra pounds are extra force during a hard landing.

5) Landing- The second most common way to get hurt.

4) Launching- The most common way to get hurt.

3) Complacency- It always hits when you least expect it.

2) Attitude- The best way to get hurt is to think you can't.

1) Altitude - It's not the air that's going to hurt, it's the impact with the ground.

40

Risk Management Resources For Paraglider Pilots

by Steve Roti PRINTED RESOURCES Michael Robertson, one of the early pilots in hang gliding, developed a system of charts for assessing risk. He divides the types of risk into three categories: the wing, the wind, and the windividual.

Michael's charts allow you to assign numerical scores to the reliability of flying a particular glider at a particular site on a particular day.

Robertson's Charts ofReliability

by Michael Robertson Available from the USHGA office ($9.95) Dennis Pagen, author of numerous books and articles on hang gliding, paragliding and weather, has a new book out about paragliding. It includes brief discussions of risk management from the perspectives of weather, judgment and equipment.

The Art ofParagliding

by Dennis Pagen (2001) Available from the USHGA office ($34.95) Here are. three books about risk management written for the general public.

They cover a wide range of topics and are filled with statistics about risks we all take, whether we realize it or not. This is useful reading for understanding risk management and comparing aviation to other activities we engage in.

The Book ofRisks: Fascinating Facts About the Chances Wf Take Every Day

by Larry Laudan (1994) True Odds: How Risk Affects Your Everyday Life

by James Walsh (1996) The Polar Bear Strategy: Reflections on Risk in Modern Life John F. Ross (1999)

ONLINE RESOURCES Mike Meier of Wills Wing discusses "Why Can't We Get a Handle on this Safety Thing?" http://www.willswing.com/Articles/Ardd e.asp?reqArticleName=HandleOnSafety Pilot Greg Hamerton from South Africa writes about "Reducing Your Risk." http://www.paragliding.co.za/hammer/ris k.htm Pilot John Halle uses flying anecdotes to illustrate risk in "Luck, Longevity and the Limits of Skill." http://www.ushga.org/articlel7.asp AOPA's index to on-line "Safety Pilot" articles. http://www.aopa.org/asf/subjectidx.html Last, and least, here's my list of 20 risk factors in paragliding (in no particular order). Each factor adds some amount of risk to flying. Do you know why?

Understanding the risks is the first step in learning to manage them. " Obstacles in launch area or LZ • Flying close to the ground " Flying in crowded conditions " Flying in clouds • Showing off • Aerobatics 0 Water .. Power lines • Strong wind " High-performance gliders " Cross-country • Competition " Setting records • Pilot fatigue " Fear .. Panic " Overconfidence • Complacency • Inexperience " Inactive piloting

PARAGLIDING

•

I

Continued from page 23. become hang glider and paraglider pilots.

There's lots more but this is already too long. Send in your ballots!

REGIONV Frank Gillette -

Incumbent

REGION VI No Nominees REGION VII No election this year.

REGION VIII No election this year.

REGION IX Randy Leggett - Incumbent My name is David R. "Randy" Leggett and I look forward to another term as Regional Director for USHGA Region 9.

Being appointed to chair the Site Management Committee and working to link that committee with the United States Hang Gliding Foundation has highlighted my first term. I was elected to serve as a Trustee for the Foundation and continue to support its growth.

The effort to enact new legislation to enhance foot-launched, powerless free flight on public lands continues to be one of my top priorities.

I have been an active member of the USHGA (#33069, IV) since the early

l 980's (1981 ?) and concurrently a member of the Water Gap Hang Gliding Club, USHGA Chapter 44.

REGIONX Matt Taber - Incumbent Most of you already know me as the owner and manager of Lookout Mountain Flight Park. For those who do not, I look forward to hearing from you and meeting you personally. Hopefully you will be visiting this excellent site to fly with us and I will get the chance to meet you here. Hundreds of pilots fly here each year, so I get a lot of valuable input as to what members in our organization want, would like and expect. I also learn how rhey feel the organization is doing, as well as how well the organization is meeting pilots' needs. I am a Director who is available, who will take a personal interest in your issues, problems and needs.

As Region 10 Director for the last 10 years, I have witnessed a lot of change in rhe USHGA. I believe rhat I bring to the USHGA BOD leadership and awareness.

Leadership as to what the priorities are for our organization, as well as how to successfully run rhe USHGA as the business that it is. Awareness of what the pilots want, expect, and feel is going on with rhe organization.

I volunteer my time for USHGA projects, meetings and clinics, as well as per-

sonally paying for travel expenses and housing. I am glad to do this, for I feel that I am able to make a valuable contribution to the successful running of the USHGA. I would like to continue to represent Region 10 as your Director. I thank all pilots/ members of Region 10 for the continued support over the years, and I ask you to again vote Matt Taber for your Region 10 Director. Thank you.

REGION XI RR Rodriguez - Nominee I am just a weekend pilot who started flying 20-plus years ago. For the last 10 years I have almost exclusively flown hang gliders. It is hard for me to imagine life wirhout free flight.

Over the years I have served as president of a USHGA Chapter, as an Observer and as a volunteer at hang gliding meets. My greatest concern is the preservation and expansion of flying sites.

Whether elected to the Board or not, I will continue to do what I can to expand our opportunities to fly.

REGION XII No election this year.

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~

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2001

41

National Park Flight Plan

by D. Randy Leggett, USHGA Site Committee Chairman

Yosemite, the Grand Tetons, Mount Washington, Mount St. Helens, Denali - all grand places that we dream ofsoaring. This is your chance to make it happen!

N

ndow of opportunity is open for e next four months, not to accuy fly there now, bur to add these d ocher potential sires chat you dream of soaring co a list of parks chat che National Park Service will review and deem as "flight appropriate."

Flying from our vast public lands has long been a dream of many, bur a reality for only a few. A small group of chese dreamers began a grassroots effort co ease che burden of gaining flight access co our public lands. Over che past few years che effort has gained significant momentum, and che USHGA Site Committee has been called upon co assume responsibility for coordinating chese efforts at che national level. The initial, broad effort encompassed all federal land management agencies, however, during our meetings wich representatives of che Department of che Interior in Washington, che effort was refocused first co che National Park Service.

The NPS has agreed ro help us streamline che flight auchorizacion process wich a single, broad rule concept covering many national parks ofour own choosing. If passed, chis rule will make it easier for managers of these parks co say yes instead of no, by eliminating che existing park-by-park regulatory burden. le will also be a step coward hang gliding and paragliding being treated as a traditional and accepted use of federal lands.

Our current cask is co review all of our National Park lands and to formulate a list of parks char we consider to be "Flight Appropriate." These parks will chen be reviewed by che NPS, and if found appropriate will be included in an NPRM (Notice of Proposed Rulemaking) that will apply ro all listed parks.

This input from che hang gliding and paragliding community is critical, as it will affect che future of sire acquisition and preservation in che federal land-management system wich likely spillover ro state and local public lands. Even ifyou don't know ofa dream

42

launch or landing area in a National Park today, please consider the foture. If adopted, chis new rule will lessen che rime and effort needed ro open sires in chese parks. If we overlook a flight-appropriate park now, che approval process for chat park will likely be harder lacer on.

The Regulations Program at che NPS will be reviewing che list of "Flight Appropriate National Parks" and drafring che rule, beginning in April of 2002. le has taken chree years of struggling wich che NPS to get chis time sloe on cheir agenda. Once che proposed rule has been written and published for public comment we will be called to action in che form of a letter-writing campaign in support of chis rule.

If and when adopted, chis NPRM will become a single Special Use Regulation applying ro all listed parks. However, some individual parks may still require permits.

The permitting process (where necessary) will be standardized nationwide wich what we hope will be a reasonable sec of guidelines developed by che USHGA, adapted ro local requirements by the local Chapter and adopted by che NPS. This standardization process is currently under development in che USHGA Sire Committee.

Mose of us know of National Parks where we should be flying or have flown in che past, which have since been closed to flying. Many of chese are in our own back yards. Contact us and lee us know about them. If you are currently operating in a National Park lee us know chat as well (including whecher or not you have regulations or pennies).

While chis is a long-term project chat may take a year or more ro even gauge our likelihood of success, your immediate support and response is essential to che final outcome. The few minutes you spend on chis now could save years of effort in the future.

Please register your recommendations at USHGA.org, SITE COMMITTEE NPS LIST. PARAGLIDING

PARAGLIDING ADVISORY: Used paragliders should always be thoroughly inspected before flying for the first time. If in doubt, many paragliding businesses will be happy to give an objecrive opinion on the condition of equipment you bring them co inspect. BUYERS SHOULD SELECT EQUIPMENT THAT IS APPROPRIATE FOR THEIR SKILL LEVEL OR RATING. NEW PILOTS SHOULD SEEK PROFESSIONAL INSTRUCTION FROM A USHGA CERTIFIED INSTRUCTOR. PARAGLIDERS ADVANCE EPSILON 3 - 30m, DHV 1-2, 105122kg., red w/black trim, Woody Valley airbag harness, reserve, radio. Under 5 hours on all. Paid $4,416 will sell package for $3,395 OBO. Steve (570) 326-3120, smc@suscom.net EDEL SABER- Yellow, large, 60 hours, great condition $700. (214) 695-1666, alberto.voli@iint.com GIN BONANZA - Medium, DHV 2-3, beautiful wing, yellow/red $1,500 OBO. (509) 758-6345, barberic@imbris.net PRO DESIGN RELAX -· Small (65-90kg) Crispy!

Less than 20 hours, includes Pro Design Jam harness w/ side mounted reserve (never thrown), backpack & smffsack, Kiwi helmet w/ installed radio earpiece and PTT system. Everything in excellent shape $2,600 OBO. Erika or Jeff (307) 734-4450, halfmoon25@hormail.com

POWERED PARAGLIDERS DK WHISPER PLUS -- Low hours, slightly bent frame and props tipped, XIX xi wing $3,500. (810) 9971110.

SCHOOLS & DEALERS ARIZONA DIXON'S AIRPLAY PARAGLIDING - Dixon White: USHGA's Instructor of the Year! Airplay: Top ranked school for years and featured in the best selling videos "Starting Paragliding", "Weather to Fly" and the "Art of Kiting". The perfect beginner training areas at both our Washington and Arizona locations. Arizona's "best" beginner season is September through May. Washington is open May through September. At both locations drive-up to 360 degree treeless and rockless launches. Land in wide open fields, enjoy many flights each day! limited access to the Flight Parks reduce traffic and crowding. Excellent individualized instruction with state-of-the-art lesson plans and equipment.

Comprehensive ground schooling with an emphasis on micrometeorology. Great new/used inventory, specializing in Windtech Paragliding Gear and M2 Harnesses, repair center, and superb customer service. In ARIZONA or WASHINGTON appointments are required.

PO Box 2626 Flagstaff, AZ 86003. (928) 526-4579 www.paraglide.com or dixon@paraglide.com

20 TO 50% OFF - Brand new paragliders & accessories, most of brands. newgliders@hotmail.com

AIRJUNKIES PARAGLIDING -- Join KEN BAIER for your "Pursuit of Paragliding Excellence" in the land of year-round, excellent paragliding: Sourhern California and the Baja. Courses for Novice, Intermediate, Advanced and lnstrucror ratings. Powered paragliding, soaring and maneuvers clinics, guided tours, tandem and towing instruction and special events. USHGA certified.

Handling the latest equipment. Call (760) 753-2664 for information.

FLY ABOVE ALL - Experience year-round paragliding instruction in beautiful Santa Barbara, CA! Our friendly, experienced staff offers hands-on, personalized, radio-controlled lessons. Enjoy soaring the best training hill in the Western US and when you land, shuttles will whisk you back to the top for your next scenic flight.

USHGA certified, solo, tandem and powered paragliding instruction, equipment sales and tandem flights.

Visit our Website at www.flyaboveall.com or call at (805) 965-3733.

;------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------, 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:

Number of months: ___________ SECTION

O Paragliders 0 Emergency Parachutes O Parts & Accessories O Business & Employment O Miscellaneous 0 Powered Paragliders OVideos Begin with

O Towing 0 Schools & Dealers o Ultralights :i Publications & Organizations iJ Wanted o Harnesses

19_ _ issue and run for _____

consecutive issue(s). My O check, 0 money order is enclosed in the amount of$ _ _ _ _ _ _ __ NAME: _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ __ ADDRESS: _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ __ CITY: _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ STATE: _ _ __ PHONE: _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ __ Number of words: _ _ _ _ _ _. @$.50 =_____ 1 I I I

Number of words: _______ @$1.00 =_____

USHGA, P.O Box 1330, Colorado Springs, CO 80901 (719) 632-8300 fax (719) 632-64 i7

I

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2001

43

HIGH ADVENTURE - Paragliding, hang gliding school. Equipment, sales, service at world famous Marshal Peak. USHGA tandem instructor: Rob McKenzie. By appointment year round (909) 883-8488, www.flytandem.com OJAI PARAGLIDING - Ojai is Southern California's best kept secret. Year-round, great soaring in this beautiful valley surrounded by the Los Padres National Forest.

Near Santa Barbara and Ventura. Great cross-country possibilities. Courses for beginner to advanced pilots.

Motorized paragliding, guided tour and tandems. New and used equipment, 12 years in the business! Tel# (805) 646-9660,info@flyojai.com,www.flyojai.com

Classified advertising: new life for your equipment and cash in your pocket. What a deal!

USHGA CERTIFIED INSTRUCTION Powered Paraglldlng•TuwlngoJ,ootlauncl1 lllndem•Equipment•Snles•Servlce

SOUTHERN SKIES - MOUNTAIN FLYING and POWERED PARAGLIDING instruction, sales and service with full-time shop, 1 hour north of Charlotte. 7 beautiful flying sites nearby. (828) 632-6000 WWW.SOUTHERNSKIES.NET

G

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

PARAGLIDING AND HANG GLIDING - USHGA certified instruction, tandem flight instruction, sales, service, repairs, parachute repacks, motorized pg/hg instruction and site tours. Southern California Importer for PARATECH, AIRWAVE and EDEL. Visa and MasterCard accepted. Call (858) 452-9858 or toll free at 1-ST/-FLY-TEAM. Check us our at and order on-line at http://www.flytorrey.com HAWAII MAUI WOW Wl'.E -

NORTH CAROLINA

ERS - Put your knees in our breeze and soar our 450' sand dunes. FULL-TIME SHOP. Certified instruction, beginner to advanced, foot launch and tow. Sales, service, accessories for ALL major brands. VISA/MASTERCARD. 1509 E 8th, Traverse City MI 49684.

Offering POWERED PARAGLIDING lessons & dealer for the Explorer & used units. Call Bill at (231) 9222844, rchangglider@chartcrmi.net. Visit our paragliding school in Jackson, Wyoming. Call Tracie at (307) 7398620.

Proflyght Hawaii, first school in

at Kitty Hawk Kites Outer Banks, NC Lessons Daily Towing & Foot Launch Year Round Sales & Service CALL TODAY! 800-334-4 777 252-441-4124 E-Mail Address info@kittyhawk.com

Hawaii, located on Maui, is now under new ownership.

The best just got better. When it gets cold in the north, Maui is the place to fly, explore, relax and/or learn to tly.

Team Proflyght sports an incredible training facility. wonderful year-round weather, 1,000' training slope, 100' ro 7'000 vertical descents off Haleakala Crater (10,023'). Toll Free 877-GO-FLY-HI. Visit our website WWW.PARAGLIDEHAWAIi.COM

FAX your classified ad,

HIGH PLAINS PARAGLIDING - Early Holiday special through November 30th: $250 off any Nova or Advance paraglider and/or $50 off any Sup'Air Harness!!

Must mention this advertisement. We also offer Apco, ThinRcdLine, Renschler, Flytec and more. Whether your adventure is in the house thermal or on X/C, High Plains has what's right for you at the right price. On the web at: http://hometown.aol.com/hiplainz or call (406) 4.19-2239. Thanks to all for a great year!

membership renewal or merchandise order:

(719) 632-6417, We

ADVENTURE SPORTS - Sierra soaring at its best.

Tours and tandems available. Instruction from certified USHGA instructors with 25 years experience. Sales, service and instruction by appointment Carson City/Lake Tahoe NV. ('/75) 883-70/0 http://home.pyramid.net/advspts

gladly accept VISA, Amex and MasterCard,

AIR SPORTS USA - Lessons, service, equipment.

Paragliding, hang gliding, powered paragliding, trikes.

Phone (718) 777-lOOO, WWW.FLYFORFUN.NET

More than 4,000 paragliding enthusiasts read our magazine every month, That's more than 8,000 eyes seeing your ad.

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44

PARAGLIDING

OREGON

VIRGINIA KITTY HAWK KlTES -

See North Carolina.

WASHINGTON DIXON'S AIRPLAY PARAGLIDING - Please see our classified ad under Arizona. '0.'WW.paraglide.com PARTS &ACCESSORIES OVER THE HILL PARAGLIDING/PPG: Now celebrating 10 years in business. Oregon/SW Washington Sales/Service/beginner/ advanced lnstruction/T andem.

FREE guide service/ advice. We have ANY brand related to PG /PPG at the BEST prices. THERE IS NO SALES TAX in Oregon. 22865 S.E. Yellowhammer, Gresham OR 97080 (503) 667-4557 email: othpara@spiritone.com web: overthehillparagliding.com

SUNSPORTS PARAGLIDING- Hood River, Oregon.

Beginner lessons, sales, service, repacks, tandem flights.

APCO, SUP'AIR, FLYTEC, HANWAG, IN STOCK! We have a complete shop with EVERYTHING that you need in stock! Rick Higgins, SunSportsPG@aol.com, (541) 387-2112; Mark Telep thatspec@hotmail.com, (541) 3080101 Web: http://hometown.aol.com/rsunspom/ myhomepage/index.html TEXAS HILL COUNTRY PARAGLIDING INC - Learn complete pilot skills. Personalized USHGA certified training, ridge soaring, foot & tow launching in central Texas. MOTORIZED PARAGLIDING INSTRUCTION & EQUIPMENT AVAILABLE. (915) 3791185. 1475 CR 220, Tow TX /8672.

KITE ENTERPRISES - Foot launch, payout winch tow and powered paraglider instruction too. Training, sales, rentals and repair. Edel, Aitwave, Wills Wing, UP and DK Whisper. Dallas, Fort Worth and north Texas area. 211 Ellis, Allen TX 75002. (972) 390-9090 nights, weekends. www.kite--enterprises.com UTAH SUPER FLY PARAGLIDING ACADEMY - The Paragliding Academy is the nation's foremost paragliding center offering comprehensive pilot training programs, powered paragliding instruction, tandem flights, maneuvers training, towing training/ certification, and tandem pilot training. The Paragliding Academy is rhc closest shop to Point of rhe Mountain, open year round and is supported by the Super Fly, Inc. distribution and service center just minutes away. Instructors: Ken Hudonjorgensen, Scotty Marion, Kevin Biernacki, Dale Covington, Bo Criss, Ryan Swan, Jeff Farrell and Chris Santacroce. (801) 816-1372 www.paraglidingacademy.com.

NOVEMBER 2001

BRAUNIGER IQ BASIS VARIO - Never used, $350 OBO. Kenwood TH-22AT Radio, like new $275 OBO. Erika or Jeff (307) 734-4450, halfmoon25@hotmail.com

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, (ii 9) 632-8300, fax (719) 632-6417. VISNMC accepted.

• ORDER ONLINE AND SAVE • Water/Dust Resistant Push Button • Field Replaceable Finger Switch • Heavier Gauge Wire/Improved Plugs • Increased Strain Relief at ALL Joints Price $119.95. Extra finger switch $19.95 w/purchase.

Dealer inquiries welcome. Call (913) 268-7946.

MC/Visa. Visit our website at www.flightconn.com HANWAG BOOTS - Size 10 (US), like new, 20 times max $150. Medium reserve, Straka Fly size/, fresh repack $250. (206) 777.-6037, wallyadams@aol.com

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

PUBLICATIONS & ORGANIZATIONS

HAVE EXTRA EQUIPMENT - That you don't know what to do with. Advertise in the Paragliding classifieds, $.50 per word, $5 minimum. Call USHGA for details (719) 632-8300, ushga@ushga.org or fax your ad with a Visa/MC, fax (719) 632-6417.

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

Renew your membership online!

THE ART OF PARAGLIDING - By Dennis Pagen.

HOT OFF THE PRESS!!! Step by seep training, ground handling, soaring, avoiding dangers, and much much more. 274 pages, 248 illustrations. The most complete manual about paragliding on the marker. $34.95 +$5.00 s/h. USHGA, PO Box 1330, Colorado Springs CO 8090 I. (719) 632-8300, fax your MC/Visa/Amcx to (719) 632-6417, www.ushga.org, ushga@ushga.org

45

- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - ·---

*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.

VIDEOS

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 details and includes great cloud footage. A straightforward presentation that is easy to follow. 50 min. $39.95.

STARTING PARAGLIDING by Adventure Productions. Covers basic preparations, weather, proper attitude, ground handling & 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.

MISCELLANEOUS - - - - --------------

FLIGHT GUIDANCE AND XC - In the Sierra Nevada, Spain: llorizonte Vertical, www.granadainfo.com/hv/, hv@granadainfo.com, Tel/Fax: 011 34 958763408

- - - - - - - - --- - - - - - - - -

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. LINEART & 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: November 20th is the deadline for the January issue.

Please make checks payable to USHGA. Send ro: 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.

STOLEN WINGS &THINGS ---- ---- ---- ---- ---

*NEW* SPEED TO FLY with Jockey Anderson. A complete video guide to cross country paragliding. Great air-toair 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 tune 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 WhiteMaster 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 I Iole, Wyoming. Features in-air footage, aerial maneuvers, and local pilot tours. 44 minutes $36.95.

BALI 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

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ADVANCE EPSILON 3 - Lost along Hwy 395 just outside VICTORVILLE, CA on August 14, 2001. Has a gold leading edge with a small (3-4 ") patch near the center; also blue SupAir Evo top harness, helmet, vario, etc.

Contact Jason Gilbert (530) 318-7288, jgllben@hotmail.com - - - - ---- -----

FIREBIRD IGNITION - Large. Stolen in the BELLINGHAM, WA area in early August 2001. Yellow, with black Edel Hero harness with RS2 reserve; black fullface Edel Helmet. All items were packed in a black Edel backpack. Contact Matias Rudback (360)647-8485, rudbacm@cc.wwu.edu - - -------------

WINTER 2001 - Two 10 day tours starting December 2nd-December 28th, 2001, $1,800. Dale Covingron, 1-800-782-9204, kerwin@ida.net

ARCUS - Large, Srolenilost in the MARSHALL PEAK/SAN BERNARDINO, CA area in early August, 2001. Blue, serial #0764, w/blue SupAir harness. Contact Matthew Sill (646)528-4569, mwsill@hotmail.com

INDEX TO ADVERTISERS g~I"

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Pin2gau Austrid 1999

1999 WORLD TEAM T-SHIRTS- We still have a few lefi:. 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 C080901-1330. 1-800-6166888.

Adventure Productions ........................... 26 Aerolight USA .......................................... 7 Apco ............................................ 19,21,23 Critter Mountain Wear .......................... 14 Dixon's Airplay ...................................... 11 Flytec ....................................................... 9 Hall Brothers ......................................... 26 Mojo's Gear ............................................. 9 Skyco Sports ......................................... .41 Sport Aviation Publications ..................... .?

Sup'Air. .................................................. 10 Super Fly, Inc ........................ 2,Back Cover Thermal Tracker .................................... 13 Torrey Pines Gliderport ........................ .42 USHGA ....................... 5,7,10,13.27,30,31 Wills Wing .......................................... 8,15

PARAGLIDING

by Dixon White 11,,--•here's no doubt that the WTC bombing is the most powerful event in our lifetimes, perhaps even in all of United States history. The implications of this event and the ensuing restrictions on our lives may be irreversible. That we foot-launch, VFR sport pilots were temporarily restricted in our activities really brings home the frailty of our flying freedom. Most have thought they would always have the right to fly, most have never considered restrictions, most of us have never thought that our very lives might be in jeopardy. My deepest condolences go to the families and friends of those who lost their lives or were injured on September 11, 2001.

Considering the amount of passion that flight evokes, this restriction and the potential for increased FM regulations may be keeping some folks up at night.

Imagine all those passionate pilots grounded, energetic pilots unable to get their flight fix. Might there be an increase in the insanity rate? Non-pilots already think we're insane for wanting to fling ourselves off the planet; they don't know what insanity might be!

We must tread lightly as VFR pilots, and especially as pilots of the "silliest" aircraft in the sky. Let's face it, a paraglider can climb faster than most motorized aircraft, but can't even get out of its own way as sailcloth tries to strum suspension lines.

The FM was already in a stew over our flying future before the events of September 11, and they now have even more reason to restrict our activities. It's simple: Don't give the FM or any government entity a reason to frown upon our

NOVEMBER

2001

activities. Know the rules that the FM mandates and abide by them. Review FM rules with your instructors and at club meetings, and make sure there's plenty of "mail" about how everyone is interested in abiding by the rules. Publish the rules in newsletters. Give the USHGA plenty of solid evidence that the membership is determined to abide by the rules.

Back up the USHGA's efforts to represent us by being responsible pilots. If you know someone who doesn't understand the potential consequences of his or her actions, get an intervention going. It's no fun being grounded!

Some of the key rules, in a nutshell: 1) Don't fly between sunset and sunrise without a strobe light that's visible for three miles. If it's sunset, why aren't you on the ground? This doesn't mean you quickly launch before sunset and then claim you couldn't get down.

2) Don't get near a cloud; know all the different cloud rules. (You say you were 500 feet below? Well, we couldn't see you.

You must have a really bizarre way of estimating, so you need to be 1,500 feet below from now on!)

3) Don't fly within many miles of an airport. Own the local sectional. You can buy one at the local airport.

4) Don't fly over anything or anyone who might not like it and complain. It doesn't matter if they aren't home. If you take a reserve ride down through their roof you screwed up!

5) Don't fly over 17,999 feet. Go stand in front of a mirror and note how goofy you look when you say you only flew up to 17,999 feet, but didn't go any higher.

No one believes you! Don't publish things like this either. We can still imagine your goofy face.

6) Don't drop anything from the air but sand or water used as ballast. Pee counts as ballast doesn't it?

7. Give complete right-of-way to all other air traffic. This means you should check for NOTAM's. If the NOTAM says training flights at 1300 hours at 10,000 feet MSL, don't be there. If the President is going to Anytown, USA, you can't fly your motor or tow until he leaves.

8) You may not fly commercially, except for two-place training. We don't give "rides." Remember that you must have the proper licensing to fly tandem, and then do all the proper paperwork each and every time.

We actually wear a wing and move through the air as never before in human history, enjoying simple, smooth descents, ridge lift, and the absolute supreme intensity of using thermals just as birds have done for all time. What's been admired and envied in birds, and been completely foreign to humans, has only been possible for less than a generation. The thought that we might have lost this brand-new, shiny wonderment was a shock to all of us who have seen the "light" of this activity.

Terrorism temporarily achieved its goal of disrupting and destroying in so many ways, and I'm so glad that our government found a way, with its potentially restrictive authority, not to casually disallow free flight in the U.S. For the professionals in aviation, I'm sure that many were, as I was, ready to sell all but the spouse, kids and dog. I thought I was doomed (paragliding instruction doesn't bank many bucks). Special thanks go to all the staff at the USHGA, Regional Directors, and anyone involved in lobbying the Feds to relieve the restrictions - you are heroes. I was impressed with our national Association's hard work in staying on top of every angle of this horror's-worth of insanity. We members should sit down and send thank-you cards to the USHGA! II

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