USHPA Hang Gliding & Paragliding Vol37/Iss6 June 2007 by US Hang Gliding & Paragliding Association

Volume 37 Issue 6 June 2007 $4.95

A Publication of the United States Hang Gliding and Paragliding Association, Inc. www.ushpa.aero

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Jayne DePanfilis, Publisher: jayne@ushpa.aero C. J. Sturtevant, Editor: editor@ushpa.aero Joe Hartman, Art Director: jhartman@brandingironmedia.com Martin Palmaz, Advertising: martin@ushpa.aero Matt Gerdes, Contributing Editor: mattg@FlyOzone.com Staff writers: Lisa Colletti, Mike Steed, Steve Messman, Dennis Pagen, Tracy Tillman Staff artist: Jim Tibbs Office Staff: Jayne DePanfilis, Executive Director: jayne@ushpa.aero Rick Butler, Information Services Director: rick@ushpa.aero Martin Palmaz, Business Manager: martin@ushpa.aero Erin Russell, Office Manager: erin@ushpa.aero Michelle Burtis, Member/Instructor Services Administrator: michelle@ushpa.aero USHPA Officers and Executive Committee: Lisa Tate, President: lisa@soaringdreamsart.com Felipe Amunategui, Vice President: dr.amunategui@att.net Elizabeth Sharp, Secretary: Elizabeth.Sharp@heii.com Mark Forbes, Treasurer: mgforbes@mindspring.com REGION 1: Rich Hass, Mark Forbes. REGION 2: Dave Wills, Urs Kellenberger, Paul Gazis. REGION 3: David Jebb, John Greynald, Brad Hall. REGION 4: Steve Mayer, Jim Zeiset. REGION 5: Lisa Tate. REGION 6: Gregg Ludwig. REGION 7: Tracy Tillman. REGION 8: Gary Trudeau. REGION 9: Felipe Amunategui, L.E. Herrick. REGION 10: Dick Heckman, Steve Kroop, Matt Taber. REGION 11: Gregg Ludwig. REGION 12: Paul Voight. REGION 13: Dick Heckman. DIRECTORS AT LARGE: Russ Locke, Elizabeth Sharp, Dennis Pagen, Bruce Weaver, Riss Estes. HONORARY DIRECTORS: Connie Locke, Jennifer Beach, Dutcher Sterling, Len Smith, Bill Bryden, Randy Leggett, John Harris, Jan Johnson. EX-OFFICIO DIRECTORS: Art Greenfield (NAA). The United States Hang Gliding and Paragliding Association Inc. is an air sports organization affiliated with the National Aeronautic Association (NAA), which is the official representative of the Fédération Aeronautique Internationale (FAI), of the world governing body for sport aviation. The NAA, which represents the United States at FAI meetings, has delegated to the USHPA supervision of FAI-related hang gliding and paragliding activities such as record attempts and competition sanctions. HANG GLIDING & PARAGLIDING magazine is published for foot-launched air-sports enthusiasts to create further interest in the sports of hang gliding and paragliding and to provide an educational forum to advance hang gliding and paragliding methods and safety. Contributions are welcome. HANG GLIDING & PARAGLIDING magazine reserves the right to edit contributions where necessary. The Association and publication do not assume responsibility for the material or opinions of contributors. HANG GLIDING & PARAGLIDING editorial offices email: editor@ushpa.aero. ALL ADVERTISING AND ADVERTISING INQUIRIES MUST BE SENT TO USHPA HEADQUARTERS IN COLORADO SPRINGS. The USHPA is a member-controlled sport organization dedicated to the exploration and promotion of all facets of unpowered ultralight flight, and to the education, training and safety of its membership. Membership is open to anyone interested in this realm of flight. Dues for Rogallo membership and Pilot membership are $69 ($90 non-U.S.). Dues for Contributing membership and for subscriptiononly are $52 ($63 non-U.S.). $15 of annual membership dues goes to the publication of Hang Gliding & Paragliding magazine. Changes of address should be sent six weeks in advance, including name, USHPA number, previous and new address, and a mailing label from a recent issue. You may also email your request with your member number to: info@ushpa.aero.

HANG GLIDING & PARAGLIDING (ISSN 1543-5989) (USPS 17970) is published monthly by the United States Hang Gliding and Paragliding Association, Inc., 1685 W. Uintah St., Colorado Springs, CO 80904, (719) 6328300, FAX (719) 632-6417. PERIODICAL postage is paid at Colorado Springs, CO and at additional mailing ofﬁces. POSTMASTER: Send change of address to: Hang Gliding & Paragliding magazine, P.O. BOX 1330, Colorado Springs, CO 80901-1330. Canadian Post Publications Mail Agreement #40065056. Canadian Return Address: DP Global Mail, 4960-2 Walker Road, Windsor, ON N9A 6J3 DISCLAIMER OF WARRANTIES IN PUBLICATIONS: The material presented here is published as part of an information dissemination service for USHPA members. The USHPA makes no warranties or representations and assumes no liability concerning the validity of any advice, opinion or recommendation expressed in the material. All individuals relying upon the material do so at their own risk. Copyright © 2007 Hang Gliding & Paragliding magazine. Hang Gliding & Paragliding magazine welcomes editorial submissions from our members and readers. We are always looking for well written articles and quality artwork. Feature stories generally run anywhere from 1500 to 3000 words. If your topic demands more or less than this, you should discuss options with the editor. News releases are welcomed, but please do not send brochures, dealer newsletters or other extremely lengthy items. Please edit news releases with our readership in mind, and keep them reasonably short without excessive sales hype. You are welcome to submit photo attachments, preferably jpeg ﬁles smaller than a megabyte. Calendar of events items may be sent via email to editor@ ushpa.aero, as may letters to the editor. Please be concise and try to address a single topic in your letter. Your contributions are greatly appreciated. If you have an idea for an article you may discuss your topic with the editor either by email or telephone. Contact: Editor, Hang Gliding & Paragliding magazine, editor@ushpa.aero, (425) 888-3856. For change of address or other USHPA business, call (719) 632-8300, or email info@ushpa.aero.

The United States Hang Gliding and Paragliding Association, a division of the National Aeronautic Association,

is a representative of the Fédération Aeronautique Internationale in the United States.

A Zulu Explorer pilot on an adventure Photo courtesy GIN gliders

DEPARTMENTS Editor’s Corner . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7 Pilot Brieﬁngs: News and Events . . . . . . . . . . 8 Airmail . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10

I WANT TO FLY! It’s not often that we can see ourselves the way others see us. A potential pilot oﬀers some astute observations on pilots, wings, community and motivations.

USHPA: Web Site Improvements . . . . . . . . . 13 Foundation . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 15 PG Accidents . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 21

By Alan Wilson. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .17

Towline: Sport Pilot Good News Update . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 23

THE FUTURE OF AIRSPACE

Travel: Traversing Chilean Skies . . . . . . . . . . 27

Regulations made to control European airspace typically aﬀect the airspace on this side of the ocean as well. It appears that there are some changes ahead.

Faces of the Future: Mike Kaiser. . . . . . . . . . 36 Comp Corner: HANG-ON . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 39 Flight Report: Carpe Diem! . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 57 USHPA: 2008 Regional Director Nominations. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .68 Calendar . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .69 New Ratings. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 71 Marketplace . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 72

By Dennis Pagen . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 34

TURKISH DELIGHT The 7th International Air Games were held in Oludeniz, Turkey, last October. A professional photographer/ paraglider pilot captures the essence of the games in a photo essay.

Classiﬁeds . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 74 One Last Thought . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 78 Index to Advertisers . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 70

By Marko Georgiev . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .42

TWO MEMORABLE THERMALS Is it possible to have too much of a good thing? Region 2’s director recalls a couple of times when less would deﬁnitely have been better.

Photo: Andy Busslinger

Jean-Pierre Praz launching his Advance Omega 7 at the Rigi Mountain in central Switzerland

By Paul Gazis. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 48

June 2007: Hang Gliding & Paragliding – w w w.ushpa.aero

In a few hours, it will all be recollection . In between, it's why you fly. Why settle for anything less than everything the experience has to offer?

LLS~

Nti

It's all about the flying.

WWW.WILLSWING.COM 500 WEST BLUERIDGE AVE. ORANGE. CA 92865 TEL: 714-998-6359 FAX: 714-998-11647

FROG HAIRS Aviation as an avocation or profession requires constant attention to details, no matter what craft you ﬂy. The FAA, NTSB, NASA and the military thoroughly investigate accidents that involve their aircraft and their pilots. We can learn a lot from their analyses.

By Denny Pistoll. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 50

THE GREAT LEARNING EXPERIENCE Two pilots pioneered a site in the Peruvian Andes, and although conditions weren’t conducive to getting really high or going far, the scenery was so beautiful and amazing that they felt as if they had ﬂown to and from another planet. By Alex Perez Rayon . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .53

BILL AND ANGELA’S BIG ADVENTURE A hang glider pilot traveled to southern California to learn how his Falcon was manufactured. A guided tour of the Wills Wing factory provided him with plenty of technical knowledge and, more important, a solid trust in the quality of his new wing. By Bill Jacques . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 60

Gallery. . .64

June 2007: Hang Gliding & Paragliding – w w w.ushpa.aero

Photo: George Sturtevant

Summertime, and the flyin’ is easy… familiar or distant and exotic. Of course, if you’re from Southern California or one of those Alex Perez Rayon began his tale of paragliding in Peru in last other “endless summer” areas it’s always pretty easy, but for month’s magazine. When bad weather shut down the flying in those of us who endured a real winter and a late-arriving spring, one area, he and his companion set off in search of other “firstit’s a relief to reach this time of the year. Finally we can plan a flight” options. This month, in “The Great Learning Experience” flying trip and actually figure the odds are good that we’ll get Alex recounts their thoughtful analysis of the new sites, and off the ground! their exhilaration when their predictions proved accurate and Every flight should be fun – and safe. Mike Steed’s Accident they climbed out and soared in the rugged Andes. Report column summarizes the 2006 paragliding accidents, Northwest parapilot Matty Senior took advantage of a fanand although there were only 49 reported accidents (far too tastic soarable day last April, and flew from one of Washington few to use as a basis for determining trends or patterns), still State’s popular local sites right up to the Canadian border. it’s useful to ponder how these good flights went bad. Another “From Blanchard to the Border: Carpe Diem!” will likely make C.J. Sturtevant food-for-thought article is Denny Pistoll’s lighthearted yet se- the more adventurous Blanchard pilots add a passport to their rious “Frog Hairs” feature. It’s full of examples of how easily checklist of XC flying essentials! things can go wrong, and reiterates that surviving a situation Foot-launch hang glider pilots, there’s a competition in late Attention artists: unscathed doesn’t mean that the choices that led you there July designed with you in mind: MPH Sports’ HANG-ON, in The October 2007 were OK. Lakeview, Oregon. Details of the event are in the Comp Corner, issue will feature hang Dennis Pagen gives us a heads-up regarding “The Future but a meet announcement can’t tell the whole story. Paul gliding and paragliding of Airspace,” with information on some changes in store for Gazis’s humorous “Two Memorable Thermals” flight report artwork – pen-and-ink, European airspace that will, if history is to be trusted, eventually suggests packing your oxygen system before heading to the watercolor, altered phoimpact us as well. Oregon Outback for some fabulous flying. I’ve flown in the hang tographs, sculpture, TTracy Tillman and Lisa Colletti continue their updates on gliding nationals in Lakeview, and can vouch for the reality of shirt designs, cartoons, Sport Pilot in their Towline column. If you’re tuning in late to bumping up against our legal attitude limit! oil on canvas, whatever this series and don’t have access to back issues of the magaOne of Paul’s two memorable thermals was in Lakeview; your imagination can zine, you can find all the Towline columns online at ushpa.aero/ the other was at Mingus Mountain in Arizona. By coincidence, come up with – for the info_sportpilot.asp. Rick Butler’s USHPA column details other Jerry Dalen’s update on the Foundation grant for improvements cover, centerspread features of the expanding ushpa.aero Web site – if you haven’t at Mingus appears in this issue as well, so you’ll have plenty of and gallery. The deadbeen there lately, you’ll find lots of useful flying-related informa- incentive for making the trek to Mingus for the Labor Day fly-in line for submission to tion on the USHPA site. next September! the October magazine Several new pilots, and one potential pilot, sent me articles Steve Messman concludes this issue with an interesting is August 6. Contact about their new-found passion for flying. Alan Wilson’s aptly reflection on the roles we all play within our flying communiC.J. (editor@ushpa titled “I Want to Fly!” feature gives us an unusual “outsider” ties. “According to Random House,” where would you be in the .aero) if you need asperspective on our flying community. I’d like to think that my dictionary? sistance uploading highhome site and local clubs would make such a positive impresMy heartfelt appreciation goes to Mike Meier of Wills Wing, resolution images of your sion! Long-time hang glider pilot Larry Kaiser and his son Mike who did some last-minute photography to make sure I had a fair artwork to the magazine took up paragliding last year. Teenager Mike is now as hooked share of hang gliding material in this magazine. This isn’t the dropbox (ushpa.aero/ on paragliding as his dad is on hang gliding; their story is in the first time that Mike has stepped in and “saved my bacon” when editorial_dropbox.asp). Faces of the Future column, “Boredom Cure.” Novice hang pilot a deadline was looming and I had a gap to fill. Thanks, Mike! Do you have a story to tell, a flight to share, photos that Bill Jacques bought a new Falcon last year, and visited Wills Wing to see exactly how these Dacron-and-aluminum birds are you’d love to see in print? Each month’s magazine is only created. In “Bill and Angela’s Big Adventure” Bill details the as good as the material that you provide me. Our new-andconfidence-inspiring workmanship and materials involved in improved ushpa.aero Web site makes contributing relatively simple – the “Publications” menu will take you to the magazine making a Wills Wing hang glider. As always seems to be the case, paraglider pilots have been dropbox where you can upload your text and photos. I look fortraveling the world in search of airborne adventure. Summer ward to hearing from you! Barham, a teenage P-2 pilot from Oregon, found freedom and fulfillment on the same tour that George and I so enjoyed in Chile last November. It speaks well of the tour leaders that they were able to structure the flying so that novices and advanced pilots all came away feeling like we’d had our best flying experience yet! Summer’s “Traversing Chilean Skies” makes me Corrections: smile with fond memories. The background photo for “Soarata” (pp. 62-63 in the May issue) should have been Marko Georgiev’s “Turkish Delight” feature may lure George captioned Red Bull Air Force Huckspedition and credited Copyright ©2003 Red Bull/ and me to our next foreign flying destination: Oludeniz, Turkey. Christian Pondella. Marko chose to tell his tale with photos only lightly embellished Scott Silver send this correction: “So I’ll quit getting calls and before John Matylonek with words. I had the pleasure of meeting Marko on launch in sees it and has heart failure: The picture of ‘Scott Silver’ flying a beautiful LiteSpeed in Brazil last February (it’s a small world!), and we talked about front of Mount Hood (page 66 in the March issue) is in fact Eron Schultz. The picture was a photo essay on hang gliding and paragliding in that beautitaken by my wife JoAnne (not Jane) Forsyth at Bald Butte. The closest thing to me in that ful country as well. Our sports are so intensely visual, and we photo is one of my radios taped to Eron’s downtube!” all appreciate the photographers who can capture the beauty that lures us to our flying sites, whether they’re close-to-home

Photo: Michael Aielli

By Jeﬀ Hunt, ﬂytexas.com

Texas Open is happening this August 35. That’s three days of great ﬂying, food and fun for hang glider and paraglider pilots and their friends and families. More information is available by emailing Sam Kellner, txhitime@yahoo.com, or call him at (830) 486-8031. See related letter from Sam Kellner in this month’s Air Mail column.

3 to ﬁnd out what issues are most important and where I may be able to help. I have a lot to learn and not much time. If there is anything you think I can help you with, either as an individual pilot or as a club, you can contact me at brad .reg3@gmail.com. Two U.S. Paraglider Pilots Selected to Compete in the 2007 X-Alps Event

Jon Goldberg-Hiller Passes the PG Accident Review Baton Alex Colby is replacing Jon GoldbergHiller as the paragliding accident review columnist. Alex has been flying It’s spelled Leakey, but the locals pro- since just before the turn of the cennounce it “Lakey,” perhaps so they know tury (October 1999) and holds a P-4 right off if you’re new to the area. Well, rating. He is president of the Hawaii some non-locals have the pronunciation Paragliding Association and is respondown by now – many pilots have made sible for their excellent Web site/online an annual trip to this part of Texas, as newsletter (www.windlines.net), which The Red Bull X-Alps selection comhave the Quest Air/Flytec Dragonflies won the 2006 USHPA Web Site of the mittee has confirmed that U.S. pilots and their pilots, coming from the WRE Year award. Nate Scales and Honza Rejmanek will (World Record Encampment) in Zapata Many thanks to Jon Goldberg-Hiller join 28 other athletes in this challenging before flying on up to Big Spring for the for the educational columns he has writ- event, which starts on the Krippenstein serious competition there. ten during his years on the accident (Dachstein range) in Austria on What happens down in Leakey? For review subcommittee. Please give Alex July 23. those who are not yet acquainted with some material to report on by filing your Profiles of the athletes are currently Texas hospitality and airtime, here’s a accident/incident reports online at http:// available online at www.redbullxalps bare-bones summary: Aerotowing in the ushpa.aero/emailacc.asp. .com, and as of early May, the selected beautiful Texas hill country at a low-use racers should be logging regular diary county airport 49R-Real County. Towing Region 3 Pilots, Meet Your Newly entries, keeping fans up to date with their paragliders with scooters. Foot-launch Appointed Regional Director training and preparation. for paragliders and hang gliders. By Brad Hall The beautiful Frio River with clear I have been a hang glider pilot for 33 GIN Invites Paraglider Pilots to “Go Offspring water, swimming holes, rope years and a member of our national or- Road” With the Zulu Explorer swings, and floating on inner tubes with ganization from the start of my “flying a cooler of beverages as you watch the career.” I am a carpenter by trade, which scenery go by. A supportive community. helps me support my lifelong love of Texas BBQ , Tex-Mex food, Italian res- flying. My wife Donnita is a pioneer taurants and more. in our sport and helps keep everything RV spots, camping and house rentals in focus. This is a genuine 2-for-1 deal on site at the airport. Cabins on the Frio – good for you and good for me. River. Garner State Park, a grand state A few days before the USHPA BOD park down towards Uvalde. meeting last March, a Region 3 director Did we mention the great flying? Yep, resigned and I was contacted by several world-record flights have passed repeat- board members asking if I would be inGIN’s new DHV 1-2 wing, a lighteredly over the Leakey area. Uvalde, to the terested in becoming a candidate for the weight and higher-performing version south 60 miles, has been the site of vari- opening. Against a huge field of candi- of their Zulu, is even more user-friendly, ous national and world sailplane champi- dates (at least one other) I won the elec- durable, compact and lightweight, with onships and was the site of the first-ever tion. I have been sentenced to serve the 1 the performance to fly long distances hang gliding cross-county tow meet. and ½ years of the remaining term. No easily. GIN touts the Zulu Explorer as Deep in the heart of Texas the stars are time off for good behavior. “the perfect tool to discover the world, or bright and so is the future of hang gliding I am happy to join the other Region 3 your own wild areas.” It’s available in four and paragliding and USHPA national fly- directors in support of our flying commu- sizes and four colors. ins. Don’t take our word for it – come see nity. Over the next few month I will be More information on the Zulu for yourself! The 2007 National Fly-in/ contacting chapters and clubs in Region Explorer, and on other GIN products, can June 2007: Hang Gliding & Paragliding – w w w.ushpa.aero

Photo courtesy GIN gliders

Awesome Flying, Deep in the Heart of Texas!

be found on the new and updated Web site, gingliders.com. You can also watch a 26-minute video, GIN Speedflying Pro, featuring the first international speedflying event and competition, held last March in Les Arcs, France.

2007 U.S. Hang Gliding National Champions Photos by Cheryl Uhl

ADVANCE Updates the Popular EntryLevel Alpha

Photo: Martin Scheel, courtesy ADVANCE

Competitors, crew and volunteers

The new-for-2007 beginner wing from ADVANCE, the Alpha 4, has recently been certiﬁed DHV 1 in all sizes, with speedbar. Four sizes of the Alpha 4 (23, 25, 28 and 31) will be available in June. More information on the Alpha 4, and on all ADVANCE products, can be found at www.advance.ch. While you’re on their site, check out the photos section – click through the random presentation of photos with accompanying short poems/essays on ﬂying. PRO DESIGN Offers Free Paragliding DVD PURE – The Spirit of Flying is 12 minutes of impressive paragliding in stunning settings. The DVD is available free of charge from PRO DESIGN dealers, or online for the cost of shipping. Go to www.pro-design.at for details on how to obtain a copy.

Last April, 42 hang glider pilots gathered at The Florida Ridge flight park in Clewiston, Florida, to compete in the 2007 nationals and vie for the title of U.S. National Champion. Competitors came from across our country and from countries around the world, including Great Britain, the Czech Republic, Germany, Guatemala, Norway, Canada and Australia. The weather cooperated, with tasks being flown on seven of the eight scheduled days. Tom Lanning The top finishers in the flex-wing division were Dave Mathews from Great Britain in first place, followed by Norwegian pilot Bjorn Joakimsen in second, and Ron Richardson, also from Great Britain, in third. Tom Lanning, in fifth place, was the highest scoring U.S. flex-wing pilot Linda Salamone (also below) and is our new national champion. Florida pilot Campbell Bowen took top honors in the rigid-wing division. Rodger Furey from Massachusetts was the winner of the sport class, and upstate New Yorker Linda Salamone is the 2007 women’s national champion. Congratulations to all the winners, and to all who set personal bests and who flew “personal favorite” flights. Thanks to the folks at Florida Ridge who organized this top-notch competition.

Rodger Furey

June 2007: Hang Gliding & Paragliding – w w w.ushpa.aero

Campbell Bowen

The opinions expressed in the letters pub- bright. The well-known aviation Web lished in this column are those of the authors sites AirNav.com, and fltplan.com have and do not necessarily reflect those of the included “ULTRALIGHT ACTIVITY magazine staff or USHPA officials. While ADJACENT TO RUNWAY” in the every effort is made to verify facts stated in remarks section describing 49R, Real letters, readers are urged to check the accu- County Airport. Of course my motive racy of any statement before taking action or is to create a flight park for hang gliding forming an opinion based on the contents of and paragliding, and work toward builda letter. ing the membership of USHPA! Sam Kellner, USHPA #16016

We’re On the Map in Texas! See the announcement of the 2007 Chuck and Amy, FAA officials that USHPA National Fly-in, to be held in issue Sport Pilot licenses and N-numbers, Leakey – make that “Lakey” – this August are here from Colorado attending an 3-5, in the Pilot Briefings column of EAA powered parachute fly-in here in this magazine. Leakey (Texas) this weekend. Hopefully some UL (ultralight) tugs will be here also and complete new requirements. As well as hang gliding and paragliding, our airport 49R is becoming very popular in the UL community. Extremely light air traffic, rugged rural scenery and on-site vacation lodging/RV hookups camping. Since it is privately owned, and we have support of the owner, the future does seem

(email, 3/22)

No Call Sign Could Result in Expensive Communication (email, 3/23)

Do you use a ham radio when you fly? Gotta have a license or it could cost you. The license is fairly easy to get, doesn’t cost but a few bucks for a book and the testing, is renewable after 10 years without retesting, is good in many countries around the globe and you don’t have to know Morse Code. What kind of penalty is there for unlicensed use of the radio? On the national newsline recently (news from the FCC and ARRL) was an article about a guy who had just been fined $10,000 for illegal use of the airwaves. Equipment was confiscated and some other fines and penalties were levied. As different interests compete for use of the radio bands, “big brother” hams will likely increase their watchfulness for unlicensed use and frequency interference; I have encountered a few already, some of whom lack a sense of humor. But using a quiet ham radio is greatly

June 2007: Hang Gliding & Paragliding – w w w.ushpa.aero

preferable to the noisy business band and decide to fly on that 100-degree day deis quite necessary for the towing I do. So spite lacking refined thermaling skills. I have to give out my call sign proving Or you go to that new “nuclear” site alI’ve passed the test... them’s the rules for though you have little experience in those the game. And knowing the many op- strong conditions. Or you just got a new tions ham radio offers could be very im- rating and you decide, “That means I’m a better pilot and I should start flying more portant in an emergency. If you can fly, you can do it! Study aggressively.” Or peer pressure leads you to try some new maneuvers over the dirt. with a friend and make it more fun. For study materials, the Gordon West I’ve seen all these scenarios lead to some books and CDs are among the best. You pretty ugly endings and most of the time can find these at http://www.w5yi.org/ it was fairly obvious that something bad catalog.php?sort=5. When you’ve gone was going happen before it ever did. Needless accidents are the saddest through the study material (takes a week or two), take the practice exam online at – and the most common – ones. Let’s put an end to them! Fly your flight, the one http://www.qrz.com/p/testing.pl. You need to take only Technician that you are familiar with, the one you’ve Class set of questions. Once you are done safely 100 times before. Once you ready for the tests, find a local ham club commit to that, you’ll feel comfortable or volunteer examiner by going to http:// and the emotional distractions will fall www.arrl.org/arrlvec/examsearch.phtml away; THEN you’ll be flying at your best. With time and patience you’ll find yourand entering your zip code. Peter Birren, KB9SYC, USHPA #40741 self nice and high – while still in your comfort zone. Now, gently push yourself with small Pushing the Envelope Sometimes steps. Use more speed bar and learn from Means Pushing Your Luck it. Go on glide to that thermal trigger (email, 2/24) I recently wrote this little note of you have not visited yet. Head for the advice for our local club message board waypoint now that it is a real and safe after I heard about one of our pilots get- option. Have a bailout plan ready at all ting killed in Valle last winter and Ewa times. Observe the conditions actively barely surviving her thunderstorm en- to avoid danger and find opportunities. counter in Australia. A few club mem- Slowly gain experience and skill without bers suggested it would be wise to post it exceeding your limits. Exceeding your limits usually leaves in the magazine. If it saves one pilot, it’s you in a bad situation. Not only will worth its weight in gold! I’ve seen more than a couple of ac- the situation be tough, you’ll also have cidents over the years, and I’ve found lots of emotional stress making it worse. the same culprit just about every time. Unless you are used to operating in lifeCompetitiveness, excitement, peer pres- and-death situations normally, the stress sure, fear and pure joy easily blind rook- will likely make things worse because ies and veterans alike. The best I ever did emotions cloud judgment and give you in a competition was also the most I’ve that desperate tunnel vision that blinds you to potential alternatives or additional ever pushed my luck safety-wise. If you can fly by this one general dangers. Grow slowly in this sport if you rule you will be a lot safer: Stay in your want to do it safely; that way you can comfort zone, especially while near the enjoy it for your whole long life! As many know, I’ve spent a lot of time ground! When you find yourself doing something that you do not normally do soaring RC gliders, and that has taught – if the excitement or competition pushes me tons about the power of emotional you to leave your normal flight envelope distractions. Lots of times the other RC – there is a good chance that you’re on pilots ask me, “Why is that paraglider ignoring lift right next to him?” or someyour way to an accident. Some examples: You decide you’re thing like that. I take one look at the going to scratch low, rare for you, just para pilot and I can see in his body posto stay in the race for the day. Or you’ve ture that he is nervous or uncomfortable had terrible luck soaring light lift, so you (emotionally distracted), and I instantly June 2007: Hang Gliding & Paragliding – w w w.ushpa.aero

know the answer: That pilot is flying on emotion and not from the feedback that surrounds him. I explain to the RC pilot that I think the paraglider pilot is nervous and is way more occupied with surviving the flight than with looking for more lift. I am quite sure that RC pilots, thirdperson pilots, learn to soar way faster than real, first-person pilots, since RC pilots have way less to lose – one little toy vs. splatting on the rocks! That comfort is the key to a productive learning environment: minimal emotional distractions. This stress-induced learning barrier is very real and is studied widely in conventional education as well. I believe that a kind, friendly, supportive atmosphere among pilots is a huge help to a learning pilot, or any student for that matter. Less emotional stress makes for a much more productive learning environment. A learning pilot needs to be scanning his surroundings and paying close attention to his glider’s feedback, not having some weird internal emotional struggle about what might happen, or what someone else thinks of his flying or of him personally. Have you noticed how most of the best pilots are very self-assured? That inner strength shields them from a lot of emotional turmoil while they’re flying, and their focus is on the conditions and how to exploit them. Clear thinking, awareness of one’s surroundings, experience and decisive actions make these guys the best! I am excited to fly this spring and I plan to do an XC adventure across the country this summer. I am a very competitive person myself and I, too, have a tough time avoiding the urge to win at the expense of my own safety. But I rarely get good pictures from the ground, so staying high protects me and makes for some sweet photos at the same time. I’m hoping to do more competition photography while on my journeys – see you at the races! Karl Decker, USHPA #77740

Happy April! (email, 4/7)

How in the world can you guys print that fantastic picture of Guido Gehrmann ﬂying over his yacht for a boat landing and not give us any information as to who this guy is, where he’s ﬂying, and if that’s ever been done before! What an amazing shot/ idea...someone please give us (subscribers) more info on this incredible photo! Matt McLelland, USHPA #62037

We have such fun with the April issue! While Guido is an incredibly talented pilot (he’s the current FAI world hang gliding aerobatic champion) and could probably pull oﬀ a tour-boat touchdown without batting an eyelash, alas, he does not own such a boat and in this case was heading towards a much more conventional terrestrial landing.

New East-Coast Hang-3 Pilot Knighted (email, 4/9)

I just issued my first rating, to Mike Lee, from Inwood, West Virginia. His girlfriend Rhonda caught the action at Smithsburg training hill, not far from Hagerstown, Maryland. In as ceremonious a voice as I could muster, I commanded him thus: Always check the forecast the evening before. Make sure your equipment is in topnotch order. Do no harm to the land you are flying from or into. Pick up trash if there is any. And NEVER give the landowner any shit! Arise, Hang 3, for this is a proud day! We don’t have to be all serious all the time – let’s have some fun, too, huh? That’s why I got into this sport in the first place! Shawn Ray, USHPA #78835

California PWI Sports New USHPA Logo on City Car (email, 4/10)

Having been a successful artist myself, I was very pleased with the new logo design – so much so that I downloaded the design from our Web site and printed it out. I am a public works inspector for the City of Visalia in California, and what better way to show our “new colors” than on the clean white bumper of my city car! Patrick Barszcz, USHPA #75143

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Web Site Improvements

Photo: Rick A. Butler

By Rick A. Butler, rick@ushpa.aero

layout, we’ve done a lot of reformatting of the Web code behind the scenes to make the pages much easier to maintain and to maintain consistency site wide. New Navigation Menus – Buttons are passé. So, we’ve ditched the buttons for a DHTML menu design. This makes for easier navigation through the site as well as taking out the need for interim pages that come with having buttons. Insured Site Listing – Within the Members Only area, we have put up a list of all the USHPA-insured sites, to include the prescribed rating to fly that site and the chapter that oversees that site’s operation. Information Packets – To those of you who are instructors, administrators, observers, and the like, we’ve always sent a paper packet when you get your appointment or certification. However, we also provide you with a PDF version of your packet on a regular basis. As forms and policies change, we post them into the packets and upload them as quickly as we can to you. You’ll find the link to them in Members Only. Competition Area – One of the things that we’ve taken on over the last year is displaying the numbers for national team selection (NTSS). In the past, other Web sites, such as Davis Your newly designed USHPA Web site! Straub’s Oz Report or Paul Klemond’s kurious.org site have Over the last year, we have made some notable improve- hosted these records. We’ve appropriately brought them back inments to the USHPA Web site in an effort to better connect the house and you can now keep up with the comp results, as well pilot community with some fresh content. Content, admittedly, as get info on comp sanctioning, by clicking on Competition. is one of those “vicious-circle” challenges because content often Safety Area – In October, the WSC was tasked to create requires infrastructure to deliver the content efficiently. But in- a database of safety advisories, similar to what the DHV was frastructure requires content to drive what the infrastructure doing. So, we did just that, and in so doing, we’ve created a should look like. Add to that the nature of how information Safety area of the Web site. This is where we’ll store things like is used in our world today, mix it with the initiatives of the accident reports, safety articles, and the aforementioned safety USHPA, and try to sell it all back to the association as some- advisory database. thing that we can all enjoy, and the complexity of the product increases. But we’ve made some strides that I’d like to share with you in this article and bring you up to speed on what’s going on with the Web site lately. A New Sub-Committee – To get a better handle on the team-oriented aspects of building our Web site, the executive committee (EC) approved the creation of the Web site subcommittee (WSC), the team that will manage the Web site formally. Hosted underneath the Publications committee and chaired by USHPA’s longtime Web architect Steve Roti, we’ve gone from an informal to a more formalized approach to managing the site. The WSC reviews all work requests for the Web site and prioritizes them, based on the needs of the association. This allows infrastructure work to be tracked, from the initial idea to final follow-up and completion, and as well creates a method to review content more judiciously, rather than haphazardly posting information. A New Layout – Recently, we’ve changed the layout from being left-justified with tons of white space on the right margin to a fixed-width center-justified newsprint layout. This layout seems to be more popular among sport organization Web site design as of late and we believe it’s more attractive. With the Rick Butler, USHPA’s IT guy, hard at work last April at Wallaby Ranch in Florida June 2007: Hang Gliding & Paragliding – w w w.ushpa.aero

Photo: Connie Locke

Rick doing a hang check before his tandem ﬂight at Wallaby Ranch last April

Article Presentation – We’re moving away from primarily displaying things as PDFs. In the past, it’s always been easier to create a document, convert it to PDF and just slap it up on the site with a link to it. So, what we’ve done is put articles in a database and set up a single page to call them up. For those of you that like PDFs, don’t worry – for the articles for which we have a PDF, we’ll display a link so you can get a local copy, always good if you want to print them out and pass them around the chapter clubhouse during meetings. Pilot Information – There’s an ever-increasing need for us to get out to members breaking news and information on current programs that are going on in the association, such as Sport Pilot, scooter towing, or the upcoming instructor insurance program. So, we’ve created a series of pages that will be little repositories of information – links, articles, and other information that we collect on a particular subject. General Patton once said, “A good plan violently executed today is far and away better than a perfect plan tomorrow.” The Web site is one of those projects that never has an enddate. With ISPs providing more bandwidth, new technologies coming out, and changes in the sport requiring changes to content, the Web site project is a constantly evolving thing. We hope you enjoy your Web site as we continue building it for you. Now, we’re always on the hunt for new ideas as well as talented individuals who might be able to help us with some of our projects. If you have comments about the site, good or ill, feel free to email me at rick@ushpa .aero. While we may not be able to incorporate every idea that’s brought to us, it never hurts to ask. Who knows? You may have an idea that we haven’t thought of and one that would help ushpa.aero beneﬁt our members. And if you have some talent that you’d like to donate to the association, contact either myself or Steve Roti (steveroti@ hotmail.com) and tell us what you can and would like to do!

Rick A. Butler is the director of information services at USHPA headquarters. You can reach him at rick@ushpa.aero.

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Mingus Mountain Campground: A Retrospective Article and photos by Jerry Dalen

The year was 1996, and the Prescott camped on the mountain, perhaps some the government agency who had not seen National Forest Service had served arrangement could be worked out. That the site and really had no idea what this notice to our small band of free flyers that was all the incentive we needed to ignite hang gliding thing was, but they eventhey had come up with a master plan for a ferocious letter-writing campaign to tually saw the light, and in October of Mingus Mountain, our premier flying the local ranger station in Camp Verde, a 1996 a group of Arizona Hang Glider site in Arizona. Unfortunately, that plan small town south of the mountain in the Association (AHGA) members met with did not include “dispersed” camping. beautiful Verde Valley that is home to the head rangers for the Prescott National Considering that we had been allowed the offices of the Forest Service. Indeed, Forest to discuss the particulars of this for over 20 years to camp on top of the after a few weeks, numerous letters “hang gliding campground.” Several other mountain, only yards from our gliders from the hang gliding and paragliding meetings with the Forest Service yielded and launch ramps, we considered this bit community as well as from some of our a well-diagramed proposal for the campof news devastating indeed. friends around the country made it ob- ground, which was submitted to the club However, after a few more inquiries, vious to the Forest Service that we were membership for approval. we were told that if we could demonstrate serious about pursuing the campground. Now, ten years later, we have turned that there was sufficient need for us to be There was some resistance from others in the corner on the Mingus Mountain June 2007: Hang Gliding & Paragliding – w w w.ushpa.aero

Working the lift at Mingus

Campground Project. With the help of the Foundation for Free Flight (formerly USHGF), along with the generous donations of time and money from the members of our club, friends, and USHPA members across the United States, we have built the foundation for a beautiful campground. Picture a tree-covered forest thick with ponderosa pines at almost 8000 feet in elevation. Picture eleven camp-

ing spurs, four of them with doublewide parking and all of them able to accommodate almost every type of RV or camping trailer. Each spur has its own fire ring/grill and picnic table, a center fire ring for socializing, and a nice comfortable bathroom within a short walking distance. We are still working on outfitting all of the spurs with their accommodations, but we can see the light at the end of the tunnel. Add in the concrete ramp on the south launch, along with a gravel/dirt north launch to handle overflow on those busy days, and you’ve got yourself a world-class flying site. Hopefully within the next couple of years the project will be complete. (See our Web site at www .ahga.org for details.) And as this season comes upon us, our local contingents of paraglider pilots are working together with the Forest Service to improve the paragliding launch. Add

it all up, and the result of several years of hard work and dedication from the members of the AHGA is proudly oﬀered to all USHPA members to enjoy. So come on out and experience the great air, friendly locals, the beautiful views, and of course the great ﬂying. You’re welcome any time, but mark your calendar for our Labor Day Fly-in, September 1-3. See the article by Hal Hayden in the August 2004 issue of this magazine for more information on the early stages of the Mingus Mountain campground project.

Plenty of room for setup!

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I Want To Fly!

By Alan Wilson

Mel Hair, Buffalo Mountain’s launch owner, waiting for good conditions on “his” launch, with his dog Noodle by his side, and Bruce Mahoney’s dog Billy Joe in the foreground Photo: Bruce Mahoney

My name is Alan. I have had an interest in aviation since I was a child. I took a hang gliding lesson in Oklahoma City in the fall of 1980. I skimmed just above the ground for a hundred feet or so, leaving grass stains on my jeans and a grin on my face that still returns occasionally. I’ve always wanted to fly something, but I married young, had a bunch of kids and spent everything I made raising them. The kids are grown (or nearly so), my career has been fairly successful and I’m married to a great lady. I still want to fly. I’ve spent the last six months or so researching my options: Private pilot, sport pilot, ultralight, paraglider, powered paraglider and hang glider. I’ve had to ask myself: Why do I want to fly? What do I want to do with it? Why do I need to fly? I still am working on the answers to

those questions. I spent a recent Saturday afternoon hanging (pun intended) out with some really nice people on the sunny side of Buﬀalo Mountain, in the Ouachita Mountains of Oklahoma. Based on the four or ﬁve hours I spent there, I made some initial observations. It’s not often that we can see ourselves the way others see us, so I thought I’d pass this on for you pilots to see. I’m not claiming any of this to be absolute truth, only my observations.

welcome from the moment they realized I was interested in the sport. Once they found out I had taken a lesson in 1980, I was an honorary old-timer. Mel spent hours educating me and trusted me with his truck before he even knew my name. Ron, a visiting paraglider pilot, told me of his travels, the virtues of paragliders, a good place for lessons and the dangers of being a partially educated pilot.

1. Hang glider pilots and paraglider pilots are a friendly bunch.

I contacted Mike Kelsey by email before I drove down. He emailed back and talked to me by phone to let me know about the area and the sport. Once I was on the mountain, all I had to do was ask a question and people told me all I could ever want to know. I felt

June 2007: Hang Gliding & Paragliding – w w w.ushpa.aero

Britton Shaw, local paraglider pilot, just off Buffalo launch

Photo: Alan Wilson Photo: Bruce Mahoney

Warren moving up to launch position

Ron Kohn, a visiting paraglider pilot from Connecticut, launching from Buffalo Mountain June 2007: Hang Gliding & Paragliding – w w w.ushpa.aero

No comment. I really expected to be the old guy (I’m 45), but I was in the middle of the pack. Dave, who lives on the mountain, came by to check things out (he’s at least 46). He answered several of my questions. Bruce, who also lives on the mountain, came by with his dog. He told me about lenticular clouds. Gary, a retired member of the Army Special Forces, was watching for favorable winds to fly his paraglider. A nice young couple from Texas was there, no dog. He had about a twohour flight from Buffalo, reaching 4000 feet. Warren was the first to launch. His family was there to watch and support him. I’ve already mentioned Mel, who was very friendly and informative. Ron, the visiting paraglider pilot, filled me in on the advantages of paragliding and told me of his travels.

Warren doing a hang check

2. Hang gliders are better than paragliders.

opinion expressed in #2 and #3 is not a bad thing. We need to ﬂy what we love. I believe that each mode of ﬂight has its own unique charms.)

Paraglider pilots have German Shepherds, hang glider pilots tend to Portability, soarable in light winds, have border collie or heeler mixes (based ability to catch thermals, short turn- on my observations on the mountain). ing radius, check your gear as luggage 5. You don’t have to be single, but it on airlines… (Note: The diﬀerence of helps.

I think the patience impressed me as much as anything. I waited for hours to see any action on the hill. Each pilot watched and waited for safe, optimum conditions. Some ﬂew, others declined. Each pilot followed a routine as they had hundreds of times before, checking equipment and checking again. I listened to Mel talk about his kite and its history, hang gliding, thermals, equipment, progression through the

Anticipation...

A step into the uncertain...

The hang glider pilots told me all the ways that hang gliders are superior to paragliders: performance, speed, glide ratio, etc.

4. You don’t have to have a dog to ﬂy, but it helps.

3. Paragliders are better than hang gliders.

Photo: Alan Wilson

7. The pilots are mature, technical, competent, patient and cautious.

June 2007: Hang Gliding & Paragliding – w w w.ushpa.aero

Photo: Alan Wilson

6. The sport is not for cocky young risk-takers.

Airborne and away! Photo: Alan Wilson

various ratings, the history of the geographic features in front of us and anything else I asked about. When I held the wires of his kite as he prepared to step oﬀ into the rising air currents in front of him I heard a diﬀerent tone in his voice, that of a man preparing to face his fears. “Fears” may be the wrong word. It appeared to be a mix of fear, respect, and anticipation. After over 25 years of hang gliding, each launch is still a step into the uncertain. His voice continued to explain what he was watching in front of him as he watched the cycles of air moving up the face of the mountain, so that I could understand what he was waiting for. I was watching his face for clues that he was ready and that the winds were right when I saw him take a couple of deep breaths. The breaths were those of a man doing what he loves with a huge dose of fear and respect. And then he yelled, “Clear!” and stepped into the sky. I won’t pretend to understand why people hang glide or paraglide. I suspect that the reasons are as varied as the people who do it. I suspect that, for many, it feeds their souls in a way that nothing else can. It allows them to be extraordinary in a way that others can only imagine and to experience the world in ways that only a bird can know. Many people are prevented from doing things that appeal to them because they let their fears keep them from the attempt. The men that I met that Saturday are not limited by those fears. Thank you for sharing your day with me.

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2006 Paragliding Accidents

By Mike Steed, staﬀ writer

If you are a typical American, you will die of heart disease – brought down by sedentary living and cheeseburgers. Death by cancer is almost as likely. Death by either of these diseases is over ﬁve times more likely than accidental death by all causes. Yet we tend not to worry about diseases, much less change our behavior to reduce the risks. Accidental death gets more of our attention, perhaps because it is a sudden individual event that can focus our worries. Almost half of accidental deaths occur in cars or on motorcycles. Near the bottom of the accidental death list, far below bee stings, lightning strikes, and dog attacks, you would ﬁnd our sport, assuming the statistics included such a category. In 2003, there were 22 deaths in commercial airline accidents, 22 attributed to skydiving, and 22 by human stampede. Few if any of the people in commercial airline crashes had direct control over their destiny, unlike those who were skydiving – it is said that every skydiver is dead when they jump, and they have only minutes to save their own life. Our sport is more similar to skydiving than commercial airline travel; we have control of our own destiny and should have the necessary training and equipment to safeguard our own life. (Data above from

CDC and NTSB sources, as reported in Time magazine 12/4/2006.) There were six unpowered paragliding fatalities in the U.S. during 2006. This is almost twice the running average, but two years have been higher (see Figure 1). 2006 would have been a very typical year, were it not for a tandem doublefatality – tandem accidents were rare in past years. All these were witnessed, and each fatality has been described in earlier articles, so I won’t go into detail here. Figure 2 They include a towing mishap (a beginner in a non-USHPA paramotoring class), a included in the statistics this year, inpower-line electrocution and subsequent cluding the fatalities. We include foreign impact with terrain, two uncontrolled visitors and non-members, but not acspiral dives, and the tandem that appears cidents outside the U.S. This number is to have launched in a partially-connected about the same as in 2005, but half of the state. We in the accident review group are 2003 peak. The data include just about fairly certain we hear about all fatalities, every category of pilot experience, pilot even though only half were reported on age, and a broad range of causes and outthe USHPA online system. We cannot comes. There was one obvious equipment say the same about non-fatal accidents, mismatch – a pilot experienced on ﬁxed which are clearly under-reported. So as and hang wings took up paragliding and you read the summary, keep in mind that got a great deal on a used DHV 2-3 wing. this is an incomplete and possibly distort- He had a large asymmetric collapse and ed picture. Also keep in mind that every “spun twice” (probably spiraled) 300 feet member should report accidents so as to to the ground. After spending almost improve our data. Multiple reports of the three months in the hospital he has same accident are welcome, as typically since gotten instruction and a new DHV 1-2 wing. Otherwise, there were no aceach report provides diﬀerent insights. Forty-nine unique U.S. accidents are cidents involving P-1 pilots on DHV 2 wings; one pilot on a DHV 2-3 and two on comp wings were P-4s. Comparing the demographics of USHPA paragliding pilots overall, you can see that women, already under-represented in the membership, were even less represented in the accidents (Figure 2).

Figure 1 June 2007: Hang Gliding & Paragliding – w w w.ushpa.aero

Pilots with P-2 and P-3 ratings were under-represented and P-4 and P-5 ratings were overrepresented. The high-rated pilots include some who are full-time pilots and some who ﬂy in the most demanding conditions, so their Figure 3 higher accident rate may not be surprising. But maybe we should consider giving “advanced syndrome” at least as much focus as we do “intermediate syndrome” (see Figure 3). Similar events can have very diﬀerent outcomes. For example, another tandem clip-in failure involved the participant instead of the pilot, and they landed safely thanks to the pilot-incommand holding the participant between the legs and getting the participant hoisted up to where he could grab and support his own weight on the riser of the disconnected side. Luck often played a big part in the extent of injury, and landing in blackberries was considered either bad luck or very good luck, depending on the rate of descent and amount of clothing. Several

injuries involved pilots who were flying or kiting at or above the weight range of the wing. Tree landings were generally friendly, though one injury happened while climbing down from an unsecured harness as the slender branch supporting everything gave way. Reserve parachute deployments were evenly divided between injury, no injury, and thrown too late, with one of the spiral fatalities in the last category. Injuries ranged from very serious (multiple vertebra fractures plus leg amputation) to none. In addition to the six fatalities, 11 accidents were serious enough to require at least one night in the hospital. Injuries to the Figure 4 lower extremities were most common, followed by arms/shoulders, then trunk injuries including spinal. Injuries to the head/neck/face were least common, but several pilots thanked their helmet for preventing injury and often had helmet damage to prove it. One pilot got dragged and knocked unconscious, later requiring nose stitches despite a full-face helmet. There were collisions with parked vehicles on misjudged landing turns and while kiting or launching in high wind. Vehicles tended to suffer more damage than the pilot, except when legs went through the glass and got dragged out again – yikes! The 10% of accidents that occurred on the ground either happened while kiting or were attributed to some problem prior to launch (Figure 4). These problems were not necessarily serious – line tangles, turned the wrong way after a reverse inflation, launched despite attempting to abort – but they got the pilot flustered and started a sequence of events that ended badly. As usual, in-flight and landing approach problems were most frequent and account for about 25% of the reported accidents each. Approach problems were often failure to properly account for wind. In-flight problems ranged from acro-gone-bad to structural failure in nasty air – here altitude is your friend and the outcome often depends on how much altitude is available to recover or huck. That is enough about 2006. I hope you have learned something you can put to use. And remember to go easy on the cheeseburgers…. Mike Steed took up paragliding in 1990. All his major parts are still intact, despite having made his share of para-mistakes. He agreed to take a turn writing the annual accident summary, hoping to score some karma points before the next major screw-up.

June 2007: Hang Gliding & Paragliding – w w w.ushpa.aero

By Lisa Colletti and Tracy Tillman

Dan Tomlinson, Wallaby Ranch 2004

We have received many comments of appreciation from pilots across the country regarding our focus on Sport Pilot topics in our previous Towline columns. Thanks very much! In addition to being in the magazine, our Towline articles and links to other Sport Pilot-related information are now posted on USHPA’s “Sport Pilot” information Web page at http://ushpa.aero/info_sportpilot.asp [ref. 1]. We are also starting to receive questions directly from individuals regarding Sport Pilot and other towing-related issues. We welcome such questions, and encourage you to email us at cloud9sa@ aol.com [ref. 2] with your questions. Some really good questions are also really hard to answer, due to the complexity of some aspects of the regulations. If we can’t answer your question right away, we will do some research to try to get the right answer for you as soon as possible. Also, beginning with this issue of our Towline column, we are going to feature a “Question of the Month” along

with coverage of other important topics. Question of the Month: “I am a tug pilot with a Sport Pilot (weight-shift) pilot certificate and a USHPA ATP (tug pilot) rating, and I have started the process to convert my trike to an E-LSA. What do I have to do now to get qualified to tow with my trike?” Tracy: The most important thing to do first is to complete the E-LSA conversion process prior to the January 31, 2008 deadline [ref. 3.]. Lisa: Good news #1 in this month’s column is that the FAA has published a statement of guarantee that they will follow through on processing your ELSA paperwork by the deadline if you meet some deadlines for completing certain steps of the transition process [ref. 4]. They state in their “E-LSA Alert” notice [ref. 5], sent with each E-LSA registration certificate, that “The FAA will guarantee that your registration and certification packet will be reviewed and your E-LSA inspected in sufficient time to meet the January 31, 2008 deadline” if

June 2007: Hang Gliding & Paragliding – w w w.ushpa.aero

you: (a) submit your aircraft registration (N-number) request to them by August 15, 2007; (b) call your local E-LSA DAR to schedule your E-LSA airworthiness inspection by October 1, 2007; and (c) submit your aircraft airworthiness certification request packet by November 30, 2007. Tracy: The next thing to do is to continue your training for getting your Private Pilot (weight-shift) pilot certificate. While there are a fair number of Sport Pilot weight-shift flight instructors [ref. 6] available in the country, there

Photo: Dale Guldan

Photo: Karla Wakeﬁeld

Sport Pilot Good News Update

Photo: Susan WallerFlaitz

Texas tug pilot Kim Grummitt taking a break at Florida Ridge June 2007: Hang Gliding & Paragliding – w w w.ushpa.aero

are very few Private Pilot weight-shift CFI’s available. Lisa: Good news #2 in this month’s column is that the FAA has recognized this problem and has granted Exemption #8828 [ref. 7] to the EAA to allow Sport Pilot weight-shift CFI’s to provide Private Pilot instruction if they also hold a Private Pilot (or higher) certificate in any other category and class [ref. 8]. The EAA has a database listing of weightshift instructors who meet the requirements of their exemption [ref. 9]. Tracy: After the trike tug pilot converts their tug to an E-LSA aircraft and gets their Private Pilot (weight-shift) certificate, the pilot will also have to get an FAA tow endorsement in order to tow hang gliders. This can provide some challenges, as it may be hard to find qualified individuals willing or able to provide the training and administer the endorsement per FAA requirements to trike pilots. According to FAA regulation 61.69 [ref. 10], the tug pilot must have, in addition to a Private license: logged at least 100 hours of pilot-in-command time in the same kind of aircraft that the pilot will use for towing, received ground and flight training in unpowered ultralight vehicles or gliders from an authorized instructor, logged at least three flights of actual or simulated tows while accompanied by another qualified tug pilot, and received a logbook endorsement for towing from that qualified tug pilot. Lisa: Good news #3 in this month’s column is that the FAA has recognized this problem, and has specifically made notice on their Sport Pilot Web site [refs. 11, 12] that you can use your USHPA ATP rating [ref. 13] to meet the requirements of the FAA tow endorsement under FAA regulations 61.52, “Use of Aeronautical Experience Obtained in Ultralight Vehicles” [ref .14]. Tracy: How does that work? Lisa: It is very important that a hang glider tug pilot maintains his or her annual USHPA membership and ATP rating and keeps an accurate pilot logbook. Per regulation 61.52, tug pilots can get their official FAA tow endorsement if they show documentation to a CFI that they hold a current USHPA ATP rating, and that they have met the aeronautical experience requirements for towing per June 2007: Hang Gliding & Paragliding – w w w.ushpa.aero

Photo: Karla Wakeﬁeld

Dan Tomlinson, Wallaby Ranch 2004

61.69. Basically, if you present your current USHPA card that shows your ATP rating on it, and show the CFI your logbook that documents at least 100 hours of pilot-in-command time in the same category of aircraft used for towing and

at least three actual tows, properly logged per 61.51 [ref. 15], the CFI will note the following in your logbook [ref. 12]: “Tow endorsement based on ultralight experience, section 61.52 I certify that I have reviewed the records of (First name, MI, Last name), as required by section 61.52(c). I have determined he/she has the aeronautical experience towing glider and/or unpowered ultralight vehicle and meets the requirements of section 61.69.” Tracy: Wow, that is great news! Is there any bad news? Lisa: Well, yes there is – it’s time for you to go out and mow the airﬁeld again.

References

1. “Sport Pilot” USHPA Web page: http://ushpa.aero/info_sportpilot.asp 2. Tracy and Lisa’s “Cloud 9 Sport Aviation” email address: cloud9sa@ aol.com 3. “Important Info Critical for Aerotowing” USHPA broadcast email: http://www.ushpa.aero/news .asp?id=98 4. “Prepare for E-LSA Certiﬁcation” by Mike Huﬀman, EAA Sport Pilot and Light Sport Aircraft magazine, April 2007 (pp. 52-56). 5. “FAA’s E-LSA Alert” in EAA Sport Pilot and Light Sport Aircraft magazine, April 2007 (p. 56). 6. “EAA Sport Pilot Instructor Database” Web page: http://www

.spor t pi lot.org/inst r uctors/inde x .html 7. “Exemption 8828, Regulatory Docket No. FAA-2006-24262: ht t p://dmses.dot.gov/docimages/ pdf100/444360_web.pdf 8. “Private Pilot WSC & PPC Training/Certification” Web page: http://www.sportpilot.org/interest/ exemption8828.html 9. “EAA Private Pilot WeightShift Instructor Exemption Holder Database” Web page: http://www .sportpilot.org/interest/exemption_ holders.html 10. “Glider and Unpowered Ultralight Vehicle Towing:Experience and Training Requirements.” Title 14 CFR Part 61.69: http://ecfr .gpoaccess.gov/cgi/t/text/text-idx?c=ec fr&sid=ea83fd8f5a4822b85363941f68 20a009&rgn=div8&view=text&node =14:2.0.1.1.2.2.1.7&idno=14 11. “Sport Pilot Airman Certification” FAA Web site: http:// w w w.faa.gov/licenses_certif icates/ airmen_certification/sport_pilot/ 12. “Required endorsements in accordance with CFR, part 61, section 61.69 if you are a registered aero tow pilot with USHPA” http://www.faa .gov/licenses_certificates/airmen_certification/sport_pilot/media/towing_ req.pdf 13. Part 104.11.01 USHPA Aero Tow Vehicle Pilot Rating requirements: http://www.ushga.org/ documents/sop/sop-12-02.pdf 14. “Use of Aeronautical Experience Obtained in Ultralight Vehicles” Title 14 CFR Part 61.52: http://ecfr .gpoaccess.gov/cgi/t/text/text-id x?c =ecfr;sid= 6f 7d10f 756d 2af 33aebd0 8f 7bc916758;rgn=div5;view=text;n ode=14%3A2.0.1.1.2;idno=14;cc=ec fr#14:2.0.1.1.2.1.1.31 15. “Pilot Logbooks” Title 14 CFR Part 61.51: http://ecfr.gpoaccess.gov/ cgi/t/text/text-idx?c=ecfr;sid=6f7d10f7 56d2af33aebd08f7bc916758;rgn=div5; view=text;node=14%3A2.0.1.1.2;idno= 14;cc=ecfr#14:2.0.1.1.2.1.1.31

June 2007: Hang Gliding & Paragliding – w w w.ushpa.aero

Traversing Chilean Skies By Summer Barham

Every experience, every moment brings change – an inﬂuence upon life. Some fade from memory and are lost in the chaos, but others rise above the monotonous nature of the world to sear vivid impressions upon our consciousness. Words are a poor medium to describe such experiences, for language can be ambiguous and easily twisted. I feel the necessity, however, to somehow communicate the euphoria and tranquility I experienced last winter. Sweet surrender is all that I have. In this place beyond my sight, my heart knows what is not yet seen: my own becoming.

It can be easy to lose sight of that which really matters. I was slowly falling prey to the norms of society. I continued, despite my own frustration, to dutifully put aside my lovely Ozone wing and sit for hours on end at a desk in my high school classroom, staring despairingly out the window at the puﬀy cumulus forming and then receding into the azure sky. There is no stronger desire for me than to ﬂy, and the internal struggle between passion and responsibility was tearing me apart. Luckily, I managed to honor my rash nature. I would spend a month traversing the Chilean skies.

October 2006: Once again I feel my words failing me. The inexpressible beauty, opportunity, and friendship I found in Iquique, Chile, would change my perspective forever, and the moment I stepped upon the windswept desert, I knew it to be true. The ocean’s brilliance, in striking contrast with the golden sands, brought a harmonious balance to the scenery. My gaze was drawn immediately to the seemingly endless ridge paralleling the sea. I have never seen more perfect clouds than those crowning the sands. Paradise.

High above Iquique, a city surrounded by barren desert Photo: Todd Weigand

Summer on Alto Hospicio launch, the “ridgetop expansion” of Iquique in the background

This beautifully wind-sculpted dune, Cerro Dragon, lies between Alto Hospicio launch and the beach landing zone. June 2007: Hang Gliding & Paragliding – w w w.ushpa.aero

Photo: George Sturtevant

Photo: George Sturtevant Photo: Todd Weigand

below. In between my bedroom and the launch at Alto Hospicio lay golden dunes, ever changing in the wind. Our group of jovial pilots walked each morning to the road, and a 45-minute bus ride later we would be strolling past the greeting signs of launch: “Zona de Parapente” and “Bienvenidos, Pilotos.” Never before had I seen road signs devoted specifically to our sport! More diverse company than in I experienced Alto Hospicio primarIquique’s Escuela de Parapente cannot ily as a morning site, for both winds be imagined. Sitting down to a commu- and thermal intensity increased as the nal meal, I was intrigued to hear French, day progressed. Launch was constantly German, Spanish, and Hebrew spoken in a rainbow of wings – every make and conversation. I spent the first two weeks model, every rating. As a novice pilot, of my trip reveling, simply attempting to it was a necessity that I grow and adapt assimilate the experience. Every morn- quickly to unfamiliar conditions. Flying ing I rose with the sunlight and looked my lower performance wing, I found up at launch from just outside my room. penetration was an issue that required Two large flags situated to the left of the constant attention. This was a wonlarge sandy launch were perfect wind derful lesson for me: Always be aware indicators, visible from the landing area of groundspeed.

were forgotten in the pure tranquility of that moment. In this sky splashed with gliders, I knew I had found my home. There were endless cross-country possibilities from this launch. Many pilots flew down the ridge to the right and across the city to land at either Playa Brava or Playa Cavancha; others headed down the ridge with no intended landing. Due to my insatiable craving for adventure, I viewed the opportunity of witnessing acro pilots in training as invaluable. I learned much about glider dynamics through the examination of others in flight. “Sinking out” off Alto Hospicio was a very rare occurrence (excluding early morning flights), due to the consistency of lift. Being a coastal site, it offered some aspect of ridge lift; however, thermals occurred frequently and with strength. In general pilots landed as they pleased. At any point when I felt the conditions surpassed my comfort I could head out over the dunes, and then over the ocean, and in that laminar air, make my descent to my doorstep at the Flight Park. This characteristic of Iquique pro-

June 2007: Hang Gliding & Paragliding – w w w.ushpa.aero

Summer, Luis Rosenkjer and Bob Weber at Chipana, the starting point for most of the XC ﬂights

Photo: Ihor Trufyn

The majority of my paragliding experience thus far has been from Woodrat Mountain in Ruch, Oregon, and thus I am more proficient in lighter wind conditions than winds exceeding 10 mph, which is what we frequently encountered at Alto Hospicio. Traffic was another aspect of flight that I was not so familiar with. Knowing basic right-of-way rules and being able to predict the actions of 30 other pilots soaring the same ridge are different things. I found, though, that as time progressed I recognized the rhythm, and I could find my place within it. My first flight off Alto Hospicio literally took my breath away. I rose smoothly above the golden ridge cut with a highway that separated the coastal city of Iquique from its ridgetop expansion 1000’ above. Looking out, I saw the ocean meet the city around the peninsula to the right. Already, pilots were venturing down the ridge, and making the crossing over the city to land on the beach. Leaving launch with ample altitude, I headed out over the ocean, making my descent over the crashing waves. All chaos and bustle

vided the most appeal for me: Suitable conditions could be found for all levels of experience. In the evenings, our group would drive to Palo Buque, by far the most unique site I have ever ﬂown. A low ridge perpendicular to the wind ﬂow enables one to launch a mere 30 feet above sea level, and climb to over 2000’. The sands in front of this small ridge were smooth, the wind patterns fairly predictable, dying down as the evening progressed. Typically, we arrived around 4 or 5 o’clock in the afternoon. At this point, the winds and thermals were still a bit stronger than I am personally comfortable with, but instead

“Skiing” across the sand at Palo Buque

Sculptured sand at Palo Buque June 2007: Hang Gliding & Paragliding – w w w.ushpa.aero

Photo: Todd Weigand

Photo: Dale Catching Photo: Greg Babush

Evenings were simply magnificent! I would take off from the small hill and cross over to begin my ascent of the greater ridge. As I worked up the slope, I was usually less than 20 feet from the ground, the sands below me untouched, almost glass-like under the sun’s luminosity. Three lone cacti grew from the bowl, the only life represented in this desert. The rocky cliffs faded into smooth sands, each place with varying intensity of lift. I enjoyed many a thought-provoking conversation after landing on the slope with a friend and fellow pilot to simply observe the sunset. Above, the clouds were liquid, in constant cycle. When approaching the clouds, I would fly out towards the ocean, avoiding the strongest lift. Many a night, as the lift sank with the sun, I would be among the last few to descend. Packing up in the dark was a small price to pay for Kiting wars at Palo Buque, where strong winds and a smooth sandy slope provide a perfect setting for practicing kiting skills the serenity of twilight soaring. I participated in an organized tour led of the classic “para-waiting,” I was in- but with control. I watched some of the by Todd Weigand and Luis Rosenkjer stead able to ground-handle to my heart’s more proficient pilots ski across the sand for the second two weeks of my stay in content until the conditions mellowed. at impressive velocities, and it became Iquique. I could not have asked for two The first few days I had a capital time my firm resolution to be able to do that more experienced, professional, or helpbeing dragged, picked up, and thrown as well. Although my skiing technique ful guides and mentors. The first week down in the high winds. By a few days needs plenty of work, I’m proud to say I of this tour was geared towards P-2 and later, however, I could discern a drastic met my goal! P-3 pilots. We spent the majority of our change in my kiting and launching abilPalo Buque is the greatest training days flying small cross-country flights off ity. I had learned the rules of the ultimate ground, especially because of the launch- Alto Hospicio, and flying Palo Buque in playground, equipped with swings, slides, ing and landing practice it provides. The the evenings. The tour brought a sense of and all types of merriment. wind on the small slope perpendicular to family and provided me with a very difAfter my trials, I was comfortable and the ocean was often slightly cross, and ferent view of Iquique. As a consistent eager to have my wing out in the high this provided a perfect opportunity to group of pilots, we were able to learn winds. I was able to climb if I desired, practice crosswind kiting and launches. from each other, benefiting from both

triumphs and blunders. I greatly enjoyed exploring the city, and experiencing the Chilean culture. It was wonderful to have an experienced guide. The second week of the tour focused mainly on cross-country. The leadership the tour provided was very helpful, for it is difficult to organize transportation and retrievals independently. We flew a myriad of sites during this week. From the discussions alone I learned a great deal about rotors, crossings, and speed to fly. Although I did not participate in many of the cross-country flights, my gain was no less. The balance between the self-directed aspect of my first two weeks at the flight park and the insightful and programmed tour experience during the next two weeks created a completely idyllic journey. It was perfect to be able to experience Chile dually: organized and spontaneous. For my first time traveling in Chile, it was essential to have the guidance of a tour. I know I would not have gained as much from the trip as a whole without either aspect of my stay. I doubled my flight time while I was in South America, leaving with 56 logged hours. The knowledge and experience I acquired, both in flight, and culturally, are invaluable to me. My time in Chile has sparked my desire for travel. I am sure it is only the first of many paragliding adventures to come. This paragliding mecca has so much to offer; I feel I have barely scratched the surface. To quote David Salmon, who also was part of the tour group, “I plan to return.”

Photo: George Sturtevant

Summer Barham is a novice pilot who lives in southern Oregon. She graduates from Ashland High School this month, and plans to return to South America next October.

David Salmon at Chipana, a premiere XC site about 90 miles south of Iquique June 2007: Hang Gliding & Paragliding – w w w.ushpa.aero

Look for an article on “Sand Management” by Todd Weigand, one of the leaders of this Iquique tour, in next month’s issue. If you need sand advice before then, you can contact Todd at wallowaparagliding@gmail.com.

The Future of Airspace By Dennis Pagen, staﬀ writer

We all have at least one thing in common: We need free airspace to stretch our wings and avoid getting clipped by an aircraft or clipped by a sky cop for a violation. The problem is, there is a lot of demand on our planet’s thin shroud of air. The heavy iron – large transport airplanes – are airspace hogs and they wield a lot of power in the smoky back rooms where airspace deals are made. We sport pilots have enjoyed relative freedom and wideopen spaces, but the crunch is coming. In my capacity as alternate delegate to the CIVL (the international hang gliding and paragliding body) and chairman of the USHPA Coordinating committee, one of my responsibilities is to keep abreast of airspace matters. The following information is gleaned from several individuals on the cutting edge of airspace matters in Europe*.

years that the reality of Euro union has allowed them to move forward with their concept. And here’s their concept: The One Sky System essentially has three layers. The upper layer requires full instrumentation including a transponder, which sends an EUROPE MATTERS Why should Europe account for our encoded signal to Air Traﬃc Control airspace concerns? Well, some of you (ATC) identifying the aircraft and indimay remember about 10 years back when cating its position, velocity and altitude. the U.S. switched airspace designations Generally, this top layer will be reserved from Control Zones, TCAs, TRSAs, for air transports (passenger planes). etc. to class A, B, C, through G. All The next layer down is where general this came about because the European aviation (private aircraft) is expected to Union thought it up and we followed suit. operate. They will be required to have United Statesers have a mindset that we transponders, but not encoding tranpretty much run the technical aspects of sponders. Finally, the bottom level to the the planet, but it ain’t necessarily so. The surface is where we will reside and osEuropean Union has so many countries tensibly no transponder will be required that it can often force matters of interna- (but see below). The top two levels will tional concern. From my experience, that be referred to as known airspace and the is the case with airspace. bottom one as unknown. So what is happening on the European Now here are the two major concerns airspace scene? In a phrase, the Single for us: The ﬁrst is exactly where these Sky System. This system isn’t new. It levels reside. There are some who are arhas been on the wish list of avid Euro guing for the top level to start at 19,500 air-control freaks since the early ‘70s, at feet MSL. Others (the air transport gang) least. But it has only been in the last few argue for 9500 feet (!). A compromise

June 2007: Hang Gliding & Paragliding – w w w.ushpa.aero

position is 13,500 feet MSL, which we could live with in the East, but not the West. Our representatives will continue to argue for 19,500 feet, but the problem as I see it is that European sport pilots never get that high. The second concern is whether or not we will be required to carry a transponder. At the present time they are too heavy and require too much electrical power to operate. However, there are new units coming out that are quite small and incorporate GPS capabilities. It is feasible that we may eventually be required to fly with these units. However, it wouldn’t surprise me if ATC found all the extra blips too much to deal with and told us to carry on as before. Unless, of course, it is all handled automatically by supercomputers. Are we standing by helplessly while rules are made over our heads (literally and figuratively)? Actually not, since as members of the CIVL we have some input into the organization, Euro Air Sports (EAS), which is a sitting member of the ICAO meetings deciding these airspace issues. The CIVL Safety-andTraining committee chair is the FAI rep to the EAS. Despite the financing and clout of the heavy iron (the air transport companies, the ATCs and transport pilots associations) we have power because of numbers. Finally, what is the timetable for the One Sky System? That question is truly hard to answer accurately. From what I can tell from the many Web sites, this topic is being continually discussed and they want to implement it as soon as they can. But first they need the gadgetry. Right now the European Galileo GPS system is being implemented. When that is fully operational, they will be able to have a GPS positioning control system, which is the Holy Grail. Then we will see the One Sky System take off. I believe it will be phased in gradually with the instrumentation coming first, then the change of airspace designation. By the way, even though it will be a one-sky system, more or less, some are saying they are taking the worst rules from everyone to make the final version. We will have to adopt a position of vigilant spectators to see what fate awaits us. For more discovery and lots of fun reading on this matter, visit the following addresses: www.eurocontrol.int/eatm/public/event/011206_eas.html www.europe-airsports.fai.org www.easa.eu.int/level1/enlangverstempl.php *A primary source of information for this piece was Max Bishop, general secretary of the FAI (the international body for all forms of aviation). In addition, Klaus Tanzler, CIVL rep to Euro Air Sports, provided insights. Finally, much information including the Web site URLs came from Tom Hardie, the airspace watchdog for the British Hang Gliding and Paragliding Association.

June 2007: Hang Gliding & Paragliding – w w w.ushpa.aero

Boredom Cure:

Learn to Paraglide!

Photos provided by Larry Kaiser

Larry landing his hang glider in 2003

Dad’s Perspective By Larry Kaiser, USHPA #33710

I have been a member of the USHGA/ USHPA for nearly 30 years, but never sent in any articles or photos before. I thought it was about time I did! I am originally a hang glider pilot, since 1979 when I bought my first wing (La Mouette Atlas 160) and started to teach myself to fly. After many broken downtubes, hurt pride and a hint or two from instructors who didn’t want to see me crash and burn, I finally managed to fly. Over the years I have owned many wings, and I have flown in many countries including Malaysia, Japan, and Taiwan and of course USA. My favorite flying sites are Horse Canyon in San Diego (which I haven’t flown for years) and Sai Jia (Taiwan), which I flew in 1998 and 1999. The Chinese pilots (mostly paragliders) were a lot of fun to fly with. A year or so ago my 12-year-old son Mike said to me, “Dad, I am getting bored watching you fly every weekend. When do I get to fly?” After some thought and discussion with his mom, I asked him what he wanted to fly. He told me paragliding looked like fun. The next week I signed him and myself up for paragliding lessons with the guys at “Fly Above All” in Santa Barbara, California. Chad, LeAnn, Bruce, Bob and the rest have been great as instructors and mentors for Mike and me.

We live in Las Vegas, a six-and-a-halfhour drive from Santa Barbara, so we made our lessons into camping/flying trips. Any three- or four-day weekend we would hop into our truck and run down to sunny Southern California for some weekend lessons. Mike is now 13 and almost has his P-2; I am a new P-2. Elings Park (the training hill) is almost always good weather and flyable. The Fly Above All guys (and girl) have always been there for lessons and we have never been disappointed with their service or attitude. What a great bunch of people and a credit to soaring flight! These are the people who keep the sport of paragliding alive with all their new students and excellent training program. (Enough of that – down off the soapbox, Larry!) I am now a biwingual pilot with a couple of short soaring flights on my paraglider and about six paraglider tows on the local dry lake here in Vegas. I think I still prefer hang gliding, but

paragliding has the nod for portability and ease of setup/teardown. Mike and I are looking forward to many years of fun ﬂying together and enjoying the company of the greatest people in the world – the free-ﬂying/ soaring community!

Mike enjoying a winter campﬁre, December 2005

Larry launching

June 2007: Hang Gliding & Paragliding – w w w.ushpa.aero

Teenager’s Perspective By Mike Kaiser, USHPA #85896

Mike Kaiser, paraglider pilot

I remember sitting at the top of Sai Jia Mountain in Taiwan when I was about five years old, watching my dad fly his hang glider, bored and just waiting for the food carts to show up (they had great BBQ chicken and fish kabobs for sale to the spectators). Later, when I was living in Las Vegas, I asked my dad if I could fly something because I was always bored. And so my dad found this world-famous paragliding school known as Fly Above All in Santa Barbara, California. The first time I went there I was calm and bored, and yet curious because I

didn’t think I would get to fly on my first day. After seeing how high I was supposed to fly (about 50 to 100 feet) I was scared so I didn’t fly that day. The next morning I went back to the bottom of the hill with Bruce to practice my launches and landings some more. Then I went up to the top and somehow worked up the courage to fly. I was extremely scared and alert. After that first launch I immediately went back up to launch and flew two or three more times because it was really exciting and fun. After my first day of flying I had extra energy and couldn’t sleep for about two weeks. A typical lesson day for me would start off with the alarm clock waking us up in a Lance truck camper at Carpinteria State Beach campground. I’d get a quick shower and a hot dog for breakfast. My dad and I would then drive to Elings Park. Once we got there, we’d grab our paragliders and harnesses, set them at the top and wait for the wind to change direction. While we waited, sometimes we kited in the crosswind in the morning fog. As soon as the wind was blowing

June 2007: Hang Gliding & Paragliding – w w w.ushpa.aero

up the hill a line of paragliders would start to form. When it was my turn to fly I almost always used a reverse launch. Once my wing was up, I would turn around and run as fast as I could until I was off the ground and flying. When I was airborne I’d make a few “S” turns as instructed on my radio by Bruce, Chad, or Bob and then land in the middle of the

Mike at the training hill

field. (Note by Dad: “Not ALWAYS in the middle...”) I would lug the paraglider, which was seemingly too big for me because of my lack of height and strength, out of the field and take the shuttle that went back to the hilltop that was usually crowded. After a day of flying about five to ten times off the top, we would come back to the campground, have dinner, start a campfire, and share flying stories. After spending some time at the hill I decided to take the written tests for the P-1 and P-2 ratings. The P-1 test I passed easily; however, I failed the P-2 test three times already but am hoping to pass on my fourth try (I get closer each test). Now with a little more than a year of flying, my dad and I are still trying our best to go to Santa Barbara as much as possible. My skills are improving and I am curious about towing up on the dry lakebed near our home. I couldn’t have gotten this far without my parents’ help and support, really. Mike demonstrating his kiting skills

June 2007: Hang Gliding & Paragliding – w w w.ushpa.aero

HANG-ON Hang Gliding Competition in Lakeview, Oregon, July 22-28

By Mike Haley

Photographer unknown (from the USHPA photo archive)

We here at MPH Sports (a.k.a. Mike and Gail Haley) are excited to bring you HANG-ON, which is shaping up to be a great hang gliding event! As the organizers of numerous successful competitions, we have the experience to make this a terrific experience for pilots of all skill levels. I’ve been flying hang gliders for more than 30 years; I’m also a paraglider pilot, a private pilot, and a glider pilot. I have entered many competitions over the years and I understand what makes a great event. I have always believed that a sanctioned competition is the best environment to sharpen pilot skills, acquire new information and grow as a pilot in a short amount of time. Where else can you weigh your decision-making skills against so many other pilots (some better than you) who are trying to achieve the same goal? Competitions are where I have had my biggest jumps in my flying skills and SOME OF THE MOST FUN! HANG-ON will be a sanctioned hang gliding event modeled after the successful format developed by MPH Sports for the Rat Race paragliding competition. To date, Rat Race is the most successful ongoing U.S. paragliding competition

ever. Last year, it sold out (110 pilots) in less than 48 hours, four months before the event. The success of the event is largely due to the strong competition organization, pilot participation and mentoring program. The goal for HANG-ON is to provide a safe and educational training environment in the competition arena. To achieve this, MPH Sports has rented a great headquarters with multimedia and wi-ﬁ at the fairgrounds in Lakeview. The headquarters will be used as a meeting room, classroom and party room. At HANG-ON headquarters, we will have GPS training before the competition. Pilots can also expect to have classroom training time in the evenings and as weather permits. As with the successful Rat Race, we will encourage experienced pilots to participate in the training and to share their knowledge. We will promote a mentoring program that pairs more experienced comp pilots will those who are not as experienced. Lakeview itself is famous for being a great hang gliding destination – it is known as the “Hang Gliding Capitol of the West.” The Lakeview locals love pilots, and the ﬂying conditions are great

Abert Lake and Abert Rim, about 80 miles north of the Sugar launch June 2007: Hang Gliding & Paragliding – w w w.ushpa.aero

in late July. The LZs are big. The terrain lends itself to XC flying for pilots of different skill levels. We intend to have tasks that are appropriate for each group (rigid, flex, sport, and single-surface) – tasks that are both do-able and fun. HANG-ON event organization will be top-notch, and will include many perks that you do not receive at other competitions. My wife Gail, who has organized five Rat Race comps and loves doing it, is partnering with the Lakeview Chamber of Commerce for HANG-ON, and together they have planned great pilot parties with food and live music. SO, in conclusion, the shirts and trophies are already ordered. The scorekeeper is booked. Other than typical weather, the only thing left to make this an amazing event is YOU! Please help us spread the word. Go to mphsports.com or hangoncomp.com and sign up. Better yet, sign up and bring a friend. He or she will thank you later. See “Two Memorable Thermals” by Paul Gazis on page 48 in this issue for a peek at what Lakeview could have in store for HANG-ON competitors.

Dennis Pagen is in need of cloud photos for future articles in his “Cloud Conscious” series – linear wave shots, rotor clouds, a glory or two, or any other interesting clouds that could serve as the kernel for a future cloud-analysis article. Please upload photos to the USHPA dropbox; directions for uploading are online at ushpa .aero/editorial_dropbox.asp. Or contact C.J. (editor@ushpa .aero) for assistance. 39

Andy Cu taking off from Mt. Shuksan launch, Mt. Baker in the background (Washington Cascades) Photo: Darren Darsey

The 7th International Air Games, October 2006 Photos and text by Marko Georgiev, shemarko@hotmail.com

Looking down on the launch on Babadag Mountain, 6400 feet above the beach in Oludeniz, Turkey, with pilots set up to take off during the 7th International Air Games. At midday, cumies (cumulus clouds) would form around the peak. Pilots would launch on the clear side, and literally ﬂy among and around the forming clouds. On almost every ﬂight it was possible to gain enough height to be over the clouds, having incredible changing scenery to enjoy.

Pilot Slave Gerasimovski from Republic of Macedonia watches competitors navigating their wings at the Babadag launch. Oludeniz is perhaps unique in enabling ﬂights with so many options and such varied aspects between launch and landing. Thermals are abundant around the rocky steep sides of the peak, making it easy to stay in the air for many hours and do small fun XC triangles even on the lightest days. On the way down, at about 5000 feet ASL, the active air ends and pilots enter the gentle sea breeze with very calm air – perfect for practicing maneuvers or serious acro, with altitude to spare for setting up a spot landing on the beach.

Vlatko Milev, from Republic of Macedonia, airborne during the Air Games. The annual festival is a ﬁve-day event where pilots from all over the world get together and ﬂy their paragliders in the calm air over the Mediterranean waters. The Oludeniz beach, with its Blue Lagoon, is to the right, although not visible on this photo. Behind the mountain peninsula is an ancient Greek village, St. Nicolas, a beautiful attraction accessible by boat.

Othmar Dickbauer, an Austrian who lives and works in New York City, flies his wing high above the clouds on a small (15km) XC triangle, towards the Butterfly Valley, obstructed by a cloud at the upper right corner of this photo. If you sink out after flying over the valley you can land on the beautiful beach and take a boat back to Oludeniz, but in most cases you’ll have enough altitude to safely fly back to Oludeniz beach and land right next to the bars.

Vlatko Milev flies over the crowded beach. Oludeniz, 13 kilometers away from the city of Fethiye, is a small and very popular resort, and some say it has one of the ten most beautiful beaches in the world. It definitely has the most beautiful beach where you can fly for hours, land and have a beer before you go diving, or jet ski, or just lie on the sand. Or you can get on the truck and go up for another flight. Easy, right?

Turkish pilot Mahoney finishes his acro show with a ground spiral over the Oludeniz beach. The acro competition at the festival was honored with the best acro pilots from around the world, including Mike Küng, the SAT team founder Felix Rodriguez, Hungarians Pál Takáts and Gábor Kézi, and many more. They all won the first prize and shared the awards. After all, the festival is of friendly character and the goal is to have fun and fly as much as possible.

Vlatko Milev from Republic of Macedonia ﬂies above swimmers on his way to a beach landing at Oludeniz.

Sander Koyfman prepares for landing, while the crowd cheers his arrival. Sander, a doctor in New York City, is an amateur pilot who competed with the pros. While hanging out with the rest of the “big dogs” and following their generous instructions, his skills improved practically overnight, and by the end of the ﬁve-day event, the only maneuver he was not able to perform was the tumble. Getting tips from the best acro pilots in the world and ﬂying side by side – who cares about competition at that point?

Pilots Othmar Dickbauer and Sasho Smilevski of paragliding club Vertigo discuss the weather patterns at sunset atop Babadag. The final flights of the day were done at the last light of the sun, and since the sled-ride from this colossal 6400’ mountain takes about 30 minutes, landing was on the beach in total darkness. A night flight for your logbook, and a perfect way to make an appearance at the party!

A pilot approaches for a sunset landing on the beach. With an estimated 40,000 takeoffs during the season (April through November), Oludeniz is one of the top holiday paragliding destinations of the world. The combination of the calm air and blue Mediterranean Sea below makes it a safe place for acro, any time of the day.

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In anticipation of the paragliding nationals and the “Hang-On” hang gliding event, both scheduled this summer in Lakeview, Oregon, the author offers reminiscence #1. The second tale is for the benefit of anyone who’s contemplating flying anywhere there’s likely to be clouds and lift and other good things that it’s possible to have way too much of.

Two Memorable Thermals By Paul Gazis Artwork by Jim Tibbs, staﬀ artist

Map adapted from the 2000 hang gliding nationals pilot package

Highest altitude: 17,500’ MSL Greatest altitude gain in one thermal: more than 11,000’

These personal records were both set at Sugar Hill, Lakeview, in July of 1994. It was... weird. I mean... like... from 17,500’, the Warner Range is just an insignificant little bump. And crossing the Fandango Pass is... way easy. I could have made it up to 18,500’, had it not been for #1) the FARs and #2) the fact that my O2 system was sitting on a shelf back home in Sunnyvale, because.... like... 17.5 at Lakeview? Right. Yes. This is the sort of thing you anticipate and plan for... For those who are interested, the thermal was out in front of Sweet and Low, on the far side of Highway 395. Cloudbase that day was well over 18K. This was the Alternate Reality Lakeview into which it appears my Best Flying Buddy and I slipped by accident during what was supposed to be an ordinary flying trip. I never expect to see it again... In answer to the next question, I made it the 50 or so miles to Doherty Slide pretty much on a glide; then the cloud street got ahead of me so I knocked it off, boated around for an hour or so hoping it would reform, and when it didn’t I went down and landed. The fellow a mile ahead of me tried to keep going and ended up doing a two- or three-mile final glide into the middle of nowhere. He’s probably still out there, 13 years later, trying to catch a ride back home. So I think I made the right choice. After all, the First Rule of Recreational XC is: “Always arrange things so that you finish off the day at a good restaurant!”

Another of my most memorable thermals was at Mingus Mountain, Arizona, during a short XC back in 1992. I’d made the 20-mile hop east to Sedona, but I was too low to get over the red cliffs, catch the cosmic energy vortex, and achieve enlightenment, so I was poking around wondering what to do next when I noticed a big old cloud shadow below me. “Gee,” I thought, “a cloud shadow. I guess that means there might be a thermal around here somewhere.” For some reason, it never occurred to me that the speed with which this immense cloud shadow had developed – well over a mile across in a matter of microseconds – might have anything to do with me. Along I went – doo dee doo – sailing toward my destiny, without the slightest inkling of just how interesting that destiny might turn out to be. As I floated along, without a care in the world, in what had until that time been only moderately rough air, I suddenly noticed my flying wires go totally slack. There was no bump, no thump, just a gentle moment of unease during which my flying wires became just as slack as if the glider had been sitting on the ground in some calm and windless setup area next to the campground. I may have been naive, inexperienced, and a fool – indeed, I still may retain many of these qualities – but I had a pretty good idea what was going to happen next, so I gripped my control bar as tightly as I could, and said out loud, “Wait! I have changed my mind! I don’t want to be here!” The slam, when it came, was like a slap from a careless god. There was a sudden shock, an almighty “Twang!” and the feeling that somewhere, quite nearby, mighty energies had been released that would have been quite sufficient to destroy me had June 2007: Hang Gliding & Paragliding – w w w.ushpa.aero

Word is that Paul Shall Be Rolled 70 Degrees To The Right! And I looked upon his bank angle and it was good!” Interesting though this all might have been from a theological standpoint, it was not a terrific amount of fun at the time, so I fought the wings back level (heresy!)... just in time to turn back into The Thermal. The next few seconds were about as enjoyable as any religious war. Glory, pain, violence, and destruction... doo dee doo... what fun! What grand sport! But it was pretty clear that thrilling though this thermal wasn’t, the sink that surrounded it would be even less fun, particularly since I was over downtown Sedona with nowhere to land. I did three turns in the thing, which must have gained me about 120,581,993 feet. Then I left it, stuffed the bar, and headed toward the airfield as my sink alarm began to melt. Needless to say, I want to go back and try it again. Maybe next time I can stay with the darn thing, make it past the plateau and rack up some real miles...

they not been aimed at some entirely diﬀerent target that had nothing to do with me at all. Amazingly, my glider did not pitch up, pitch down, or show the slightest tendency to tumble. But this idyllic stability was not to last. As I watched, a great cosmic force seized my wing, and in spite of all my eﬀorts to resist, rolled it into a 70-degree bank. The impressive thing was not the violence of the event, but the placid inevitability with which it happened. It was as if some deranged but omnipotent deity (is there any other kind?) had proclaimed, “In the Beginning was the Word! And the

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FROG HAIRS

The Human Factors of Safety Awareness By Denny Pistoll, dennyandnydia@gmail.com Artwork by Jim Tibbs, staﬀ artist

mechanical problem – ground delay ensued, consuming valuall while just a few miles able fuel. Once airborne, the winds aloft from the runway. This ac- did not comport to the forecast, further cident became a watershed event in eroding the fuel reserves. As the flight the industry because it was determined passed Kansas City, a viable and available Since hang gliding is a solitary activ- that the “management style” of an im- alternate, the captain, with no discussion ity, the term “pilot error” is a convenient perious pilot-in-command was a leading with his crew, elected to press on; as he (later) explained it, “I wanted to make phrase used to describe the cause of an factor in this accident. This finding opened the door to a revo- it fit...it always has before.” As it was, accident because, like grandma’s nightshirt, it covers just about everything. But lutionary concept that became known as he did make it fit and the flight landed “crew resource management” (CRM), and safely and without incident in Denver. does it really? In reviewing both powered and un- created a major paradigm shift in the way However, in the post-mortem discussion, powered aircraft accidents, it is perhaps commercial pilots train and operate. The the co-pilot reported that the fuel levels the imbalance of scale – the former typi- premise of CRM is dirt simple: The flip were so low they were no longer registercally affecting many, versus the latter, side of human performance is human failing. “They were,” he said, “down to the rarely involving more than one – that ure. To gird against these failures, pilots frog hairs.” Interpret that as you wish. tends to skew concern and inhibit more are encouraged to use all of their resourc- This incident begs the question: Because diligent efforts to dig further into events es – hardware, software and people-ware it landed safely, was this a safe flight? – to maintain the widest margin of safety Was the “margin of safety” as wide as it of such tragic consequence. It is ironic to have so much in common possible. The focus of this awareness pro- should have been? More to the point, was with the powered flight community and gram is not concerned with the instru- this a flight you would have wanted to yet be separated by what can only be mentality of flying per se but rather with be on? characterized as a philosophical DMZ. the broader issues of how a flight is manOn a wonderfully soarable day, a HangIt is a division buttressed on one side by aged. Effective management, it is argued, 3 pilot launched with the possibility in a group who see themselves as purists mitigates errors. This straightforward mind of going cross-country. The condiwhose skills harness the primal forces and seemingly no-nonsense approach to tions, it turned out, were in fact, ideal for of nature, and from the other, FAA- safety enhancement was a very tough sell thermaling and the flight continued far credentialed airmen who regard hang to hardened, experienced professionals. beyond expectation or any plan. Going glider and paraglider pilots as errant Historically, pilots saw themselves as free- with the flow, so to speak, this pilot iconoclasts or worse: reckless daredev- spirited airmen, as fliers and aviators, not flew 50 miles. En route, he penetrated ils. Regrettably, these polarizing views managers and certainly not individuals the airspace of a major airport terminal deprive us of some potentially enriching prone to common human error. control area – passing both above and When a room full of pilots is asked below arriving and departing aircraft middle ground and thereby make it all too easy to overlook our huge common what constitutes a safe flight, some will – scratched for lift over an area where bond – the pilot – and the crucial human inevitably respond: Any flight that ends there was no landing area and ended up factors that affect us all. It might, there- with a landing I can walk away from... is landing in a crowded Wal-Mart parking fore, be instructive to look across the a safe flight. Many reading this have no lot. The flight ended safely, but was this field and see what we might possibly doubt heard or perhaps even expressed a safe flight? Although these two cited learn from this community of fellow this timeworn sentiment. Although examples were different in many respects, airmen. With that in mind, I offer a this response is tendered in a somewhat the human factors affecting the decisiondroll manner, it may come closer to making processes, and the failure to refew observations. The manner in which the National the sweet center of our thinking than visit and amend a decision once made, Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) many realize. were alarmingly similar. On a commercial flight from New viewed the catchall concept of pilot error On a foggy September morning I and changed forever on a sunny December York to Denver the captain elected to off- a couple of others were setting up on afternoon in Portland, Oregon, in load an amount of fuel to accommodate launch with the anticipation that, under 1978. On that day the crew of a United payload. A review of the forecast winds a clear sky and warming temperatures, DC-8 allowed their aircraft to run and en-route weather validated this plan. the heavy ground obscuration blanketout of fuel while working a very minor As the flight prepared to leave, a lengthy ing the valley would gradually lift. One

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among us, however, had a slightly different agenda. Once set up, this pilot quietly sidestepped over to the ramp, slipped the surly bonds of common sense, and launched. We all watched in disbelief as the glider elegantly floated down and, like a pebble gently settling to the soft floor of a woodsy pond, disappeared into the billowy fog bank far below. Fortunately, in this instance, the landing zone was very large and the improvised “groping” approach made it to the ground safely. How does one account for such an egregious lack of judgment? Read further…please. A NASA study of commercial aircraft accidents revealed that less than 2% of those accidents were a result of a pilot’s lack of knowledge or ability to properly handle the aircraft. Outside of other external factors, a whopping 85% of the accidents in this study were caused by the crew. The reverse view, of course, is that 100% of those crew-caused accidents were completely preventable by those same pilots. This study underscores the disquieting reality that although pilots, overall, are trained well, and possess the knowledge and experience to do better, an irreducible number fail to fully utilize those hard-won skills. A close review of accident cases concludes that numerous factors come into play that interdict the process of safe flying and serve to lessen the margin of safety. Once again, according to NASA these factors are poor communications skills, decision-making, fatigue, and distraction management. It is a conclusion, I believe, that has direct applicability to our corner of aviation as well. After a very long day, a construction worker and experienced Hang-3 pilot wanted to get in a flight before sunset. Although he knew he was tired, he reasoned that it would only be a quick sled run. Despite an unfavorable tailwind the pilot strode to the ramp edge and, with

no appreciable acceleration, launched. The pilot was spot-on in one respect – the ﬂight was extremely quick. Descending with the grace of an unfurled ﬂag, this pilot impacted the tree crowns approximately 150 feet below the ramp. To even the casual observer, among the several

factors in play with this accident, the level of fatigue looms large. Not unlike hypoxia, the effects of fatigue on both our physical and mental abilities are very subtle and often difficult to recognize, particularly in ourselves. Consequently, fatigue is a huge concern of the FAA, and regulations governing duty periods and rest cycles of commercial pilots are strictly enforced. We, of course, suffer no such constraint. The crew of a commercial flight on approach to Miami International were distracted by a burned-out indicator light on the landing-gear system. They became so focused with the problem that they neglected to monitor their flight path and unknowingly descended into the lightless swamp of the Florida Everglades. This simple distraction claimed 99 lives. After hooking in and doing a hang check, an advanced pilot was awaiting more favorable conditions. After a while he unhooked to commiserate with fellow pilots experiencing the lengthy hang-wait. Eventually, the pilot returned to his glider and, as conditions sweetened, joined the

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queue to fly. As he began to run off the flat-slope launch, he felt the glider lifting off his shoulders but conspicuously absent was the normal tensioning of the harness straps. Quickly sensing that he was unhooked, the pilot released the downtubes as the pilot-less glider gracefully flew off the mountainside. As these two examples highlight, distractions are insidious and dwell among even the best and brightest of our flock. They don’t arrive with warning bells or festooned with red flags foretelling danger but rather tiptoe in on cat’s feet and masquerade as benign social interactions and everyday activities. The conclusion of several studies on this topic has validated that even casual conversation lessens our ability to remain fully situationally aware. Pursuant to those studies, the FAA has restricted flightdeck conversation on airline flights at lower altitudes (high work-load environment) to only that which pertains to the operation of the aircraft. (In step with that logic and the escalating accident statistics, several state legislatures are now contemplating a ban on cell phone usage while driving.) Since we don’t operate in a sealed vault, eliminating distractions in our lives or in our sport is an absolute impossibility. However, the recognition that distractions create an array of tiger traps that erode our safety margin is a huge first step toward effectively managing them, and manage them we must! Under Hang-4 conditions with a 30mph wind blowing straight in, a wire crew assembled to assist an advanced pilot with his launch. Absent any specific briefing, the pilot was asked how he would prefer the “pressure” on his wires communicated. This pilot tersely replied that he absolutely did not want any input from the wire crew whatsoever. As the glider and crew lined up on the ramp he ordered the left wing forward, thereby angling his left wing precariously into the wind. No one said a word. Obviously he was balancing the wing loading as he felt

it but the wind was still blowing straight in. However, before anyone could say something, the pilot yelled “Clear,” the signal to let go. The crew released the wires on cue and as the pilot stepped forward, his left wing began to immediately rise, and continued to rise despite futile attempts to correct. In a fraction of a heartbeat this highly experienced pilot-in-command became an unwilling passenger in a torrent that had him in an uncontrolled turn back toward a cliff. This was a deadly accident en route to its rendezvous with fate. Fortunately the trees along the cliff face intervened and softened the impact leaving only bruised pride and minor injuries. This accident speaks to two failures of the pilot, whose confidence and bravado exceeded his skills. The first was his failure to accurately read the wind conditions at launch and adjust his launch position accordingly. The second was the pilot’s failure to fully and accurately communicate his intentions to the wire crew. A succinct but pointed briefing would have easily obviated the confusion and had the pilot and his crew working together as a team. The pilot is in total control of his own launch. Wire crews volunteer their assistance, and cannot be expected to do more than follow the instructions of the launching pilot. The pilot needs to ensure that those instructions are clear in order to maximize his own safety on launch. In reviewing the cockpit voice recorder tapes on the aforementioned United DC-8 accident in Portland, there was more than one occasion where members of that crew very meekly (read unassertively) attempted to provide crucial input regarding fuel levels to the pilot-incommand, who, in turn, arrogantly ignored their entreaties. As Mark Twain once said, history doesn’t always repeat itself, but it does rhyme. An experienced Hang-4 pilot was killed after launching unhooked. Although the specific reason as to why he was unhooked was unclear, prior to launch he was queried if he had done a

hang check. The pilot appeared to give an aﬃrmative response. Although we will never know for sure, it is possible that either the pilot did not understand the question or his response may have been misunderstood by the questioner because, it was later learned, he was a foreign national and did not have a good understanding of the English language. Communicating in our own tongue can be tough enough. Communications experts tell us that regardless of how carefully we choose the words to articulate our thoughts, on average, an astonishing 60% of what is said in normal conversation is either completely missed or misinterpreted by the listener. Misunderstanding something or being misunderstood is a common everyday occurrence. As pilots, however, we must realize that communicating clearly and unequivocally absolutely matters.

The worst disaster in aviation history occurred in Tenerife, Canary Islands, on a runway enshrouded by fog. The KLM 747 pilot, on the runway and anxious to go, thought he had heard, “Cleared for takeoﬀ.” As a review of the tower tapes clearly revealed, that had never been said. The KLM pilot was told to hold his position on the runway, but he was told by a Spanish controller speaking English to a Dutch crew! As a Pan Am 747 was taxiing back on the same runway and, without clarifying this elemental but essential piece of communications, the KLM pilot pushed up the throttles and initiated his takeoﬀ roll. Midway down the runway, at approximately 150 mph, the two aircraft

met and collided; 583 perished in a seething holocaust. The problem inherent with all communication…is the illusion that it has been achieved. As this tragedy and the others recalled here illustrate, the causes for all fall within the realm of common human failures. It is only the scale that makes them remarkable. Raising the bar on safety awareness comes with the humbling recognition that, from astronauts to ATOS fliers, no one individual, however talented and experienced, is above human error. As hang glider and paraglider pilots we don’t have big brother (the FAA) looking over our shoulder mandating levels of currency, requiring periodic training and evaluating basal proficiencies. We very much embody the essence of freespirited airmen. Few would disagree that this a good thing, but it is also a doubleedged sword. The attendant obligation of being FREE is that we, in turn, discipline ourselves. And, “that,” as Shakespeare wrote, “is the rub.” Accident causes are complex, multi-faceted, and represent a crucible of human factors. Borrowing from the already hard-won lessons of our powered-flight brethren and adopting the principles of heightened communications skills, fatigue awareness, decision-making, and distraction management not only enhances safety, but can be life saving as well. Though this may be a hard buy-in for some and, at times, may require additional effort, doing so may just allow us to keep our margin of safety wide enough that it doesn’t have to be measured by the length of frog hairs. Denny, age 65, is a former navy pilot and a retired airline pilot. During his career he chaired the Professional Standards committee for 19 years, and served as a line-check airman, a 727 flight instructor and a CRM safety facilitator. His last assignment was flying the 777. Denny has been hang gliding for 2 1/2 years and holds a Hang-3 and aerotow rating.

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THE GREAT LEARNING EXPERIENCE Article, photos and map by Alex Perez Rayon

In last month’s magazine, I document- Montrek, a store in Huaraz belonging to ed the beginning of the trip I made with a local paraglider pilot, consuming liters Gustavo Montalvo, where we spent several of mate de coca and kilos of pizza while glorious days flying the peaks in the heart looking for a new place to fly. With the of the Cordillera Huayhuash in the north- help of maps, testimonies of the locals central Peruvian Andes. Bad weather shut and all the weather forecasts we could us down, and rather than sit out our vaca- get our hands on we finally found what tion hoping the weather would improve, we we were looking for. made a new plan. Quebrada Ulta, right in the heart of The high clouds we had seen on the Cordillera Blanca of Peru, is an amazHuayhuash anticipated a weeklong ing gorge surrounded by four great peaks. spell of rain and really bad weather on On the north are mighty Huascaran the whole area. We spent our time in Sur and Chopicalqui, both more than June 2007: Hang Gliding & Paragliding – w w w.ushpa.aero

6300 meters high. On the southeast is Contrahierbas peak with some 6100 meters, and at the south the great Ulta with its amazing glaciers and very steep rock and ice faces. It even has a dirt road that goes pretty high on its eastern side, up to a place called Punta Olimpica – and on asking we learned that there was one daily bus that went that way. So our decision was made. This new adventure started at 6:00 a.m. when we, not to lose the custom, ran for the bus that would take us to what

Gus on Ulta

we hoped would be a usable launch place. Three hours later we got off in Punta Olimpica. My Sunto watch marked 4800 meters ASL. As we were approaching Punta Olimpica all that we could think of was, This isn’t a flying day! Clouds, rain and no visibility of the mountains told us that it would most likely stay like that all day long. From time to time we were able see some of the moraines and the lower parts of the glaciers coming from somewhere above, but nothing more. As we hauled our paragliders off the truck that had taken us up the mountain, the weather turned even worse, with rain that fell steadily and got us soaked in no time, fog that prevented the great views from reaching us, a soft wind of some seven km/hr and a bitter cold that made its way around our clothing and tried to get through to our bones. But what the hell, the next truck coming this way would pass by this same site maybe six hours later, so even if flying was not possible we could still enjoy the sightseeing from this place, provided it cleared up just a little… So, with nothing better to do, we pulled on our ponchos and sat at the side of the road to do some of the nonplus-ultra parawaiting. One hour and a half later, after we’d

formulated endless hypotheses of weather patterns and potential phenomena that could get us higher during an imaginary flight, the clouds started lifting! Soon the weather cleared enough that we could see the valley floor about 1000 meters below us. The glaciers of Chopicalqui and Contrahierbas were already visible and we could see that we were higher than their lower reaches. Behind us we could see a moraine descending out of the clouds from what we supposed was Ulta peak. The wind had been steady at seven km/hr and we assumed that the gap in the mountains right in front of us was making a venturi that barely reached our present place. We weren’t really sure about that, so we decided to walk up to a moraine about 70 meters above us to see if we could see a glacier, or maybe even find a suitable place to take off from (still dreaming of that imaginary flight). Deep down in the valley, we watched clouds rising slowly, a strange phenomenon considering that there was no sun to produce thermal activity and the clouds above and around us were mostly stationary. A little lagoon we could see on the northeast had a wind shadow on its upper side. The clouds covering the higher peaks were actually dripping down

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towards the valley like ooze. On some of the peaks we suspected snowfall, and this gave us the idea that maybe, and just maybe, the rising clouds on the deep end were rising because the wind coming in from Callejon de Huaylas was making a convergence against the downflow of the cold air from the mountains and the air that was being displaced by the snowfall. The more we analyzed the situation, the more likely it seemed that this place would be flyable with the present weather conditions. After some rock scrambling and sand trodding we found what looked like a suitable place to take off. With our hopes high, we removed some big rocks, but had to leave the biggest in their places. Waking up to this place – we were still feeling like we had to be dreaming! – made us finally get our paragliders out of their rucksacks to lay them over, around and above this “great takeoff” ground. The wind was still blowing in the same direction and all my instincts were battling against my reasons to, and not to, fly. It’s a scary feeling when you wake up to find that what you’ve been dreaming of really does exist – and you are about to fly in it! I was most afraid of the everpresent rotor activity and potential danger from an unseen cumulus hidden by the completely overcast sky. But then again everything was standing still and the weather seemed to be improving little by little. But the unseen, the clouds and the hugeness of this place and, and, and.... Eventually the rising clouds at the end of the valley and the soft winds allowed my instincts to win the battle and off I went, without so much as a second thought, a reverse inflation with almost no wind and a fast run that left my heart pounding like heavy metal drums inside my chest, more from expectation than

from the actual physical effort. Immediately I tried to soar a rock ridge and found that it actually provided enough lift for me to go to and from another ridge farther away. So I started doing short figure-eights, slowly amplifying them until I got the hang of this place. After a while my curiosity to see what the valley was like became unbearable. I guess those rising clouds acted like the chant of the Siren for me and so I headed out and away from the takeoff point. I started losing altitude but I was not worried. The turbulence was strong but not as strong as I had experienced on other flights so I started feeling more and more confident. Just before I reached the altitude where I’d have to start thinking about landing, my vario started beeping (I did learn that a vario makes the difference when flying in BIG places). A gentle +1m/s “thermal” (no sun – could there be thermals?) met my path and I started rising in it towards cloudbase, which I reached in full ecstasy some minutes later and at 5000 meters ASL! The views were amazing and the size of this place made me feel minute. I began touring around and found out that the “thermal” that took me up was in fact what we had thought it was: a convergence of the down-flowing winds coming from the glaciers and snowfall on the mountains and the warm air trying to get up to the valley from the Callejon. The turbulence was no stronger here than it had been near takeoff. What finally made me go down in the end was the wear from the high altitude and the total focus I’d been needing while flying where no one else has ever flown before, where “the great surprise” is ever menacing. Besides, the weather wasn’t helping much and the concern about being trapped in between steep walls on either

side and menacing, though immobile, heavy clouds above was a little too much for me right then. When these fears started crawling into my veins I quickly recognized that I was getting exhausted. I started a soft spiral to lose altitude with good pressure on my wing. From time to time I had to exit the spiral and straighten out to avoid crashing onto the vertical walls rising on each side of the narrow valley below. After what seemed an eternity I finally landed facing the lower end of the valley. I kited my wing over to some higher and drier ground and with a gasp allowed my paraglider to come down to earth. What a flight! I made contact with Gustavo and told him, in between deep breaths, curses and laughs, about the flying conditions. I guess I didn’t make much sense as his response was flat: “It’s snowing up here. I think I’ll wait it out.” Even though I had landed facing the low end of the valley I was pleased to see that on the high end of the valley floor there was a smoke column, I supposed from a shepherd’s fire, drifting towards me but never reaching me. More indication that our convergence hypothesis was actually right! Knowing I had to wait for Gus, I made a bundle with the harness and paraglider and just sat there drinking in the scenery and trying to understand what had gone on during my flight. And as I was looking and thinking, I saw a small, really small, orange dot detach itself from the mountain. My eyes just followed this little dot until finally I was certain: Gus was in the air! I got my camera ready and started filming, one eye on the viewfinder and the other actually seeing directly towards Gus. My throat clamped as he flew past Ulta’s great rock walls and glaciers. I was

From Alex’s video camera

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having trouble believing that I had been up there minutes ago. I started to understand my fears. I watched Gus flying right at cloudbase and, just as I had done, finally heading down towards my landing zone in the valley. The wind where I was waiting had totally reversed direction three times in less than 20 minutes, which made me think that the convergence was still functioning, but Gus came down all the way without finding any lift. It makes you wonder. Gus set up to land in the same direction as I had, but at the last moment the wind changed again and made him do a good slippery downwind touchdown on his harness. Luckily the grass was so wet that he stopped gradually and suffered nothing worse than mud and grass stains. With a smile from ear to ear, and the shiniest eyes, he walked towards me and we hugged in an understanding of what we had just done. Humble is the word for how we felt. Even though we did a local flight, and didn’t go crosscountry, we learned that flying is possible even when apparently impossible, given the right, though extremely strange, conditions. Maybe we didn’t fly as far or as high as we could have, but we flew in a place where the scenery was so beautiful and amazing that I felt that we had just flown to and from another planet. I know that this feeling is one that will stay with me for the rest of my life.

Our sponsors: UP Paragliders: Summit 2 and Makalu light proto Harnesses: Nervures, Expe 2000 A special thanks to Alas del Hombre, Mexico, for helping us realize our dream!

Safety Tip YOU are the pilot-in-command, and you alone are responsible for making the decisions that keep your ﬂying safe.

June 2007: Hang Gliding & Paragliding – w w w.ushpa.aero

From Blanchard to the Border: Carpe Diem! Article and photos by Matt Senior

On glide north towards Chuckanut Mountain, Bellingham in the distance

At 10 a.m. on Tuesday the 10th of April the Northwest sky looked beautiful: huge cumulus developments everywhere and plenty of sun hitting the ground. The only problem was, this is the sort of sky you want to see closer to 5 or 6 p.m. rather than this early in the day. The forecast, the sky and my buddies all were saying, “Go to Blanchard!” Steve Pieniak and I jumped into his big old Dodge truck and headed north. Blanchard is one of the most scenic sites I have ever ﬂown. It’s situated about 10

miles south of Bellingham, Washington, paragliders, having never seen one before, overlooking the San Juan Islands in the and she asked us what the diﬀerence northwestern corner of the United States. was between a hang glider and a paraLaunch is about 1100 feet directly above glider. Steven and I laughed and replied, Chuckanut Drive and the ocean. “We’re going to go up there,” pointing A lady and her dog were soaking up the toward cloudbase, “and the hang gliders view on the Blanchard launch when we always seem to go down there,” pointarrived. We asked her what had become ing to the unfortunate pilot who was alof the hang glider we’d seen taking oﬀ as ready in the LZ. We shared some happy we were driving up, and were surprised laughter between us as we stepped in to to learn he’d sunk like a rock. We un- our harnesses. folded our wings as we chatted with this The sky to the east of us was completely nice lady – she was curious about our overdeveloped, but everything to the west

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Leaving our cloudstreet and going on glide to Sumas

was blue. Things looked perfect when we launched at 2:10; strong thermals right out front were being marked by the resident bald eagles, out for the day teaching their kids how to thermal. Steve and I wasted no time – we both climbed out to around 4500 feet and were on our way north with a nice 5- to 10-kph tailwind. I had made the ﬂight up to Bellingham and back a week earlier along the coastal mountains, and I was excited to re-ﬂy the same route again just a little higher along the range. Steve, on the other hand, chose a different route, and headed northeast towards Lookout Mountain, under some fairly over-developed clouds. He soon found himself facing a lake crossing, which probably wouldn’t have been a big deal for him had there been sunlight on the ground on the far side of the lake. Meanwhile, after dribbling across Chuckanut Mountain in a couple of weak

climbs, I headed for a group of deciduous trees that had produced a bomber for me on my previous flight. This time I found only a few bubbles, but I turned and hung out in zeros for about a minute, and then boom! Off it went. Within no time I was back at base with a cloudstreet heading to the northeast as far as the eye could see, blue to the left of the street and some scary-looking clouds to the right. On glide from that climb I started to realize the special flight that Mother Nature was handing us. I changed my course to follow the clouds and spotted Steve off in the distance playing the waiting game under a cloud, working his way along the edge of the lake. We eventually joined up under the cloudstreet above Squalicum Mountain at the north end of Lake Whatcom and glided off together under the clouds, only stopping to turn in the really good ones.

It wasn’t until Bellingham looked to be about 20 miles behind us that I began to think about the Canadian border. I changed my GPS to the map page and zoomed in, only to ﬁnd I had the border on glide! But what about the cloudstreet? A whole bunch of possible outcomes started to ﬂood my mind. I wondered what would happen if we just casually followed this cloudstreet for another 20 miles,

Steve on glide past Mt. Stuart

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from the ground. We landed at the school, and the kind people of Sumas sent out their greeting parties of kids and parents – and of course the border patrol, state patrol and police were all there as well. At their request we showed the boys in blue and the boys in green our track logs and let them search our gear. All was well, and we were soon on our way to Bob’s Burgers and Brew for some celebratory beers while we waited for our wonderful driver Heather to come and pick us up – the perfect end to the perfect ﬂying day! A copy of this ﬂight can be found on Leonardo on the paragliding forum (www.paraglidingforum.com). Steve talking to the authorities with our cloudstreet over his shoulder

across the border. I wondered what would happen when I landed. What about my passport – how will I get my passport? What about the Northwest Paragliding Club meeting – I’m scheduled to do a presentation! How are we going to

get back? After a quick wingtip-to-wingtip discussion, Steve and I decided it’d be best if we landed in Sumas. As we approached this small U.S. border town we could already see the patrol cars tracking us

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Bill and Angela’s

Big Adventure By Bill Jacques Photos by Mike Meier

On Friday, 29 September 2006, my friend Angela and I visited this country’s largest and oldest hang glider manufacturer: Wills Wing. If you are a participant in any type of hang gliding, you have heard of this company. It is the pre-eminent “force” of hang gliding in the USA. Most of the information in this writeup is elementary, and it might be boring to veteran pilots, but a novice like me found the process intriguing. I had just ordered my ﬁrst glider (a Falcon 3 170), and visiting the site where it was being assembled was not only exciting, but also reassuring. The design of a modern glider seems extremely complex to me. Details such as tube ﬂex and wall thickness, reinforcement of sleeves and cable tensions, really leave me confused. My goal was not to understand these details but, rather, to get an overall “feel” for how these contraptions that often hold me more than a mile in the sky are manufactured. Wills Wing is located very close to Anaheim, California, in a relatively small (16,000 square feet) modern warehouse. In spite of being an “industry leader,” Wills Wing still borders on being a “cottage” facility. The company is small and personal; it’s run by a close-knit group of four people who have been involved in hang gliding for almost four decades and have run Wills Wing for three quar-

ters of that time. They are Steve Pearson (designer), Rob Kells (marketing), Mike Meier (tech writer manager) and Linda Meier (oﬃce manager). The total fulltime employee count is 16. We were shown around by Linda. Several things impressed me as soon as we entered the Wills Wing sales/manufacturing headquarters: 1. Throughout, the facility was very clean and very organized. Being an ex realestate developer, I have toured hundreds

of large- and small-sized manufacturing facilities and, except for clean-room electronic component assembly, I have never seen a cleaner workspace. This is particularly impressive considering that Wills Wing not only cuts and assembles sails and frames (relatively clean activities), but also fabricates metal parts for its gliders. The fabrication area is set oﬀ in a separate room – but even that area was very, very clean. 2. All of the workers seemed to be

Preparing carbon spars for the T2

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very much focused – that is, they were consciously adjusting their activities to not just perform a duty by rote. This gave me the impression that they really took pride in their activities and cared about the quality of whatever task they did. 3. Hang gliding is their primary focus – nothing else. In their oﬃce, meeting rooms, and general manufacturing area the only decorations on walls or tables/ desks were pictures and/or diagrams of hang gliding. It is true that Wills Wing has a paragliding business but, apparently, they are merely functioning as distributors in this area. Linda explained the general manufacturing process. Wills Wing has adapted a computerized cutting machine from the yachting industry to cut and register patterns for diﬀerent sails and other components on specially manufactured fabrics. The cutting table is very long, and at the end of it there is a computer monitor that allows the operator to enter a pre-programmed design pattern. The outlined pattern is marked on the fabric using a computerized “arm,” similar to the Hewlett Packard plotters that were used to draw graphs in the early computer age. The Autometrix Precision Sail Cutting Machine is a computer-driven combination XY plotter and cutter. It plots the sail-panel outlines and registration marks

Sail assembly

from stored digital patterns, and then cuts out the sail panels with a moving knife. It operates on an air vacuum table 48 feet long and 4.5 feet wide, and is accurate and repeatable to within a few thousandths of an inch. The lateral tables are used for assembling and registering the pre-cut panels in preparation for the sewing operations. Afterwards the cut and registered fabric is taken to another table for layout and assembly. There the panels are tensioned and assembled according to the registration marks. The panels then go to a sewing table to be sewn together. The process of component assembly and sewing is repeated several times as additional components are added to the sail. The selection of fabrics, and the way the sail creates the airfoil, are critical. Each glider has its own fabric (more on that later). Interestingly, Linda men-

Autometrix Precision Sail Cutting Machine

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Sail panel layout

Sewing the sail

tioned that if there are discrepancies in a test flight of a glider it almost always is caused by a fabric cut or fitting error. No matter how exact all these machines and mortals can be, sometimes the way a wing fabric drapes the glider’s metal skeleton, or how the battens may curve it, may not rise to Wills Wing’s critical expectations. A minute change in sail caused by a batten or deformation in a leading edge renders unacceptable flight characteristics. Obviously, the cutting and assembly of the wing fabric is extremely critical as this is where the proverbial “rubber meets the road”! The skeleton airframe of each Wills Wing glider is comprised of anodized aluminum tubes. These tubes, like all of the integral parts of the glider, are “aircraft grade” and are stacked in various areas of the facility. They are linked in triangular designs for strength and, where desired, flexibility.

Airframes and control bar assemblies

Haas Vertical Machining Center

Most of these aluminum tubes come from Switzerland and France, as Wills Wing has found that those countries produce the highest-grade metallurgi-

cal products for the glider frames. This must cost Wills Wing more money than a domestic source and is one more reason why I think that Wills Wing really

cares about the quality of what they are producing. The airframe of each glider is hand assembled. The fittings to attach the parts of the airframe are all aircraft quality and are kept in a room with labeled yellow bins. Each completed airframe is segregated by model. It was interesting to see organized bundles of folded glider airframes labeled with codes like “S2” and “T2” and the like, as they all were awaiting sail attachment. Wills Wing recently acquired a Hass Vertical Machining Center (http://www .willswing.com/news.asp?newsSeek=246) that cuts slugs of aluminum and other metals into specific components for their glider assembly. Previous to this acquisition they were dependent on outside suppliers to perform the machining necessary for specific hang gliding components. The machine was busily cutting blocks of aluminum into fittings when we were there. The scrap shavings are swept up and placed into a barrel for re-selling. (Shows me these guys are concerned with

June 2007: Hang Gliding & Paragliding – w w w.ushpa.aero

keeping financially competitive.) This fabrication area also houses machinery used for angling and fitting what looked like specialized speed bars. Cables and battens are made in a separate area. The cables are hand assembled and the battens are hand curved over wooden forms by an individual who has worked at Wills Wing for several years. I asked Linda why Wills Wing is the only hang gliding manufacturer who has the white battens on the left wing rather than the right and she answered that it’s just the way it’s always been done and jokingly added, “We are the right ones – everyone else is doing it wrong!” A related but perhaps more serious discussion followed regarding the Wills Wing harness hang straps, which some pilots have complained are too long for other types of gliders. She said that they wanted to be “loyal” to their customers, and all their straps are designed for Wills Wing gliders. (Of course, you can order a Wills Wing harness with a shorter strap.) A complete discussion of this issue can be found in the following article in the support section of the Wills Wing Web site: http://www.willswing.com/Articles/ Article.asp?reqArticleName=RightHan gHeight. You have to give credit to Wills Wing in that they are the only manufacturer I am aware of that produces a full line of gliders, from the training Condor to the custom T2. As such, Linda’s justification does hold water. Hypothetically, you could move from one Wills Wing glider to another throughout your entire flying career without ever having to change or adjust your harness!

Assembled gliders waiting for test ﬂying

Wills Wing tests the aerodynamic and structural characteristics of each new design in accordance with the test methods prescribed by the Hang Glider Manufacturer’s Association Standards. This testing is done using the Wills Wing test vehicle a GMC pickup that has a custom-built glider-holding-type apparatus affixed to its bed. New glider designs are attached to this apparatus for load testing and stability testing. The truck speeds forwards, and then as the glider is positioned at different angles and the truck attains different speeds, various stress and other airworthiness measurements are computed. After the sail is affixed to the airframe of the glider, and after making sure that all cables, uprights and control bars are attached, the flight testing begins. Wills Wing actually carts each and every glider to a “testing” hill using a trailer. One of the Wills Wing test pilots flies the glider to be sure its flight characteristics meet company standards. This flight-testing process occurs for each and every Wills Wing glider before it leaves the factory. Obviously, this is partially done because Wills Wing wants to indemnify itself from lawsuits for defective products. However, I believe that they are also truly concerned with “tuning” their end products so when we take delivery we are assured of a glider that flies right. If you order a glider from Wills Wing, your delivery date will probably be influenced by local weather conditions – even in southern California there are some days they simply may not be able to successfully test fly your wing. At the end of the tour we met Steve Pearson, who was taking measurements of a new UV-resistant sail material they had begun optioning on their T2s. Despite the fact that we interrupted his “genius,” Steve was very hospitable. He methodically embarked on explaining details regarding performance enhancements that the shiny fabric may be able to deliver (http://www .w i l l s w i ng.com /ne w s

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.asp?newsSeek=279). I really didn’t understand much of the technical stuff Steve said regarding levels of Mylar backing and UV degradation, but I’m pretty certain that Homeland Security would approve of its shiny radarreflecting exterior. We ended the tour by purchasing a cool red helmet and discussing the future of hang gliding and paragliding with Linda. Yes, I must admit this was all fun. But best of all, the visit gave me increased confidence that is often needed and appreciated when we are suspended from these devices a mile or so in the air. In the case of Wills Wing, their hang gliders are carefully assembled with top-line materials and thoroughly tested.

Gallery

A tourist tandem pushing off from Pedra Bonita, above the beach at Rio de Janeiro, Brazil Photo: Kevin McGinley

Looking down the lineup at the Red Bull Giants of Rio start, in Brazil. Photo: Antoine Boisselier

Pilots over the Mediterranean Sea turn in the last thermals of the day at Babadag, Turkey. Photo: Olivier Laugero

Multiple world-record holder Gil Souviron captures a selfportrait between blue-sky thermals in the Australian desert. A proﬁle of this talented pilot will appear in next month’s issue – stay tuned!

Michi Gebert on ﬁre! Michi is a talented bi-wingual pilot who will be competing in the Red Bull X-Alps paragliding race this summer, for the second time. Photo: Felix Woelk

Biwingual trafﬁc at the Point of the Mountain, Utah Photo: Steve Mayer

Antoine Boisselier looping his wife’s wing in front of their house in St Hilaire, France Photo: Melanie Boisselier

2008 USHPA Regional Director Nominations Solicited Deadline July 13

USHPA is issuing its annual call for nominations to the national board of directors. Twelve positions are open for election in October 2007 for a two-year term beginning January 2008. Nominations must be received at the USHPA oﬃce by July 13, 2007. Nominations are needed in the following regions. The current directors whose terms are up for reelection in 2007 are: Reg# 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12

Current director Mark Forbes Paul Gazis Urs Kellenberger John Greynald Brad Hall Jim Zeiset Lisa Tate Greg Ludwig Nominations are not needed in Region 7 for this election. Nominations are not needed in Region 8 for this election. L.E. Herrick Matt Taber Dick Heckman Greg Ludwig Nominations are not needed in Region 12 for this election.

States within region Alaska, Oregon, Washington Northern California, Nevada Southern California, Hawaii Arizona, Colorado, New Mexico, Utah Idaho, Montana, Wyoming Texas, Louisiana, Kansas, Missouri, Oklahoma, Nebraska, Arkansas Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Michigan, Wisconsin, North Dakota, South Dakota, Minnesota New Hampshire, Connecticut, Maine, Massachusetts, Rhode Island, Vermont Washington DC, Delaware, Kentucky, Maryland, Ohio, Pennsylvania, Virginia, West Virginia Alabama, Florida, Georgia, Mississippi, North Carolina, South Carolina, Tennessee, Virgin Islands, Puerto Rico Texas, Louisiana, Kansas, Missouri, Oklahoma, Nebraska, Arkansas New Jersey, New York

Ballots will be distributed with the October issue of HANG GLIDING & PARAGLIDING magazine. USHPA needs the very best volunteers to help guide the safe development and growth of the sports. Send candidate nominations for receipt no later than July 13 to USHPA, PO Box 1330, Colorado Springs CO 80901-1330. Biographical information about nominees should be received no later than August 6, for inclusion in the October election issue of the magazine. The bio should include the following information: name and USHPA number, photo and resumé (one page containing the candidate’s hang/paragliding activities and viewpoints, written consent to be nominated and willingness to serve if elected). Make a nomination by mail or via the USHPA Web site, at http://www.ushpa.aero/emailrdnomination.asp. You may nominate yourself if you wish. Nominations are not required for incumbents. ******************************************************************************************************************************************** REGIONAL DIRECTOR ELECTION NOMINATION FORM I nominate

as a candidate for regional director for Region #

NAME USHPA# (Send to USHPA, PO Box 1330, Colorado Springs CO 80901-1330)

REGION#

June 2007: Hang Gliding & Paragliding – w w w.ushpa.aero

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. For more complete information on the events listed, please see our Calendar of Events at www.ushpa.aero. SANCTIONED COMPETITION June 3-9: Highland Aerosports, Ridgely, Maryland. East Coast Hang

Gliding Championships. Registration opened 3/15, closes 6/3. Class 1&5 entry $275, Sport Class $225. H-4, or H-3 with meet director approval; AT, TUR and XC endorsements. More information: www.aerosports.net.

May 1-5: Chelan, Washington. 2007 Speed Gliding Championships. Registration opened 2/27, closes 5/1. Entry fee $150, Sport Class $75. H-3 or above. More information: Aaron Swepston, (206) 826-1112, (206) 235-0773, tontar@mindspring.com. June 7-10: Riﬂe Roan Cliffs, Colorado. Part of the paragliding South-

west League fun comp circuit (more League dates to follow). Comp designed as a fun learning event; a good warm-up for the Rat Race and the PG Nationals. P-3 or above required. More information: Pine Pienaar, mail@adventureparagliding.com or (970) 274-1619 or Greg Kelley, (970) 376-0495. July 11-15: Moore, Idaho. King Mountain Hang Gliding Champion-

ships. Pilot briefing and multimedia show of the area on Tuesday evening, July 10. Lots of fun and superb flying in some of the most scenic mountains in the world. Open, recreation, and team classes. Open-distance June 17-23: Woodrat Mt., Ruch, Oregon. Paragliding Rat Race. XC along a specified route with bonus LZs and handicap scoring. BBQs, Registration opens February 15, and the meet has filled up on that breakfasts, free camping, super-extra-special trophies and all that... opening date in past years. Maximum 130 pilots, USHPA member- plus the envy of the HG world – shirts by Dan G. (suitable for framing)! ship and P-3 rating required. $375 entry fee includes land use fees, Entry fee of $60 includes pilot packet, shirt, maps, awards party, and a daily lunches, retrieval, awards party, T-shirt, mentoring program, ton o’ fun! Contact Lisa Tate,1915 S. Arcadia St. Boise, ID 83705, (208) training sessions and more. Additional information and registration 376-7914, lisa@soaringdreamsart.com. details at www.ratracecomp.com. August 7-19: Big Spring, Texas. 2007 World Hang Gliding ChampiJune 24-30: Lakeview, Oregon. U.S. Paragliding Nationals. Regisonship. See the world’s best hang glider pilots in action. More info: http:// tration opens February 15. Max 130 pilots, USHPA membership and www.flytec.com/Events.htm. P-4 rating (or P-3 with XC and turbulence endorsements). $350 before April 15, $400 after. Fee includes daily energy smoothie, retrieval, no-fly day bas- September 30-October 6: Dunlap, Tennessee. Tennessee Tree ketball tournament with $500 prize money, street dance with the Ladies of Toppers 2007 Team Challenge, offering Hang 3 pilots an introduction Lakeview, lots of prizes. Additional information and registration details at to competition and cross-country flying in “The Hang Gliding Capital of the East”! More information and online registration available at www.vip2comp.com. www.treetoppers.org. July 22-30: Lakeview, Oregon. “HANG-ON” hang gliding competition. Entry fee $350. Max 130 pilots. USHPA membership and H-3 with turbuFLY-INS lence and XC endorsements. Trophies and general prizes will be awarded in rigid wing, flex wing, sport class, single surface. More information: June 6-10: Albuquerque, New Mexico. Hang gliding XC fun fly-in www.mphsports.com. – launch from 10,678-foot Sandia Crest. 2006 was tons of fun with July 29-August 4: Boone, North Carolina. Tater Hill Paragliding many 100+ milers, including 3 at 150+ and one at 185 miles. More Open 2007. Registration opens March 15. Cross-country race to goal at information: Andrew Vanis, (505) 304-5306, vanis13@yahoo.com, a site friendly for first-time competitors; GPS and comp strategy sessions www.flysandia.org. included. More information at www.flytaterhill.com. June 6-10: Albuquerque, New Mexico. Sandia Soar’n, HG XC-fun fly. 2006 was tons of fun with many 100+ milers, 3 at 150+ and one COMPETITION at 185 miles. www.flysandia.org, Andrew Vanis, (505) 304-5306, June 2-9: Lumby, B.C. Canadian Hang Gliding Nationals. FAI Cat2 vanis13@yahoo.com. event. Entry fee $200 (Canadian). Enquiries on the event can be made to Mark Dowsett, the event organizer, (604) 630-8545, mark@dowsett.ca. June 15-24: Girdwood, Alaska. Arctic Air Walkers’ annual 10 Days of Solstice fly-in at Alyeska Resort, with tram service, in the land of the Register online at http://events.dowsett.ca/. midnight sun. More info: www.arcticairwalkers.com. Register for maneuJune 8-10: Lumby, B.C. Hang gliders and paragliders valley triangle vers clinic held during the fly-in and hosted by Chris Santacroce: http:// racing around mountains near Lumby, in conjunction with the town’s an- www.midnightsunparagliding.com/. nual Lumby Days celebration. HPAC and FAI sanctioning is in process. $2000 (Canadian) in cash was awarded in 2006, $1500 has been se- July 1-8: Chelan, Washington. 2007 Paragliding Towfest. Last year cured so far for this year and more is expected before the race. For more a beginner pilot flew 70 miles under an old Bolero. The Sky Brothers info contact Randy Rauck, (250) 547-6841, Randy@BeBOLD.com, or at will be out there again this year with two tow rigs. Cost: $125 per day. Max participants: 20 pilots per day. Call in advance to schedule your www.LumbyAirForce.com. days – chances are we won’t have room for you if you just show up. June 9-10, July 14-15, August 18-19, September 22- Contact Nik Peterson at nikpeterson@hotmail.com. Also, check out 23, October 6-8: Northern California Cross-Country League week- siknikpeterson.blogspot.com. ends, location to be decided three days before the weekend. All sites will be within a four-hour drive of the San Francisco Bay Area. Cost: $10 per race. More information: Jug Aggarwal, jaggarwal@es.ucsc.edu, or check the Web site for the Northern California XC League at http://www .sfbapa.org/ and follow the link for the XC League. June 2007: Hang Gliding & Paragliding – w w w.ushpa.aero

July 4-9: Hurricane Ridge and Cedar Mt., Utah. Eighth Annual Winds

of a Hurricane Fly-in with no entry fees. Intermediate and advanced hang and para pilots welcome. Good ridge-soaring/XC opportunities with lots of LZs. Hungary Joe’s Flying Circus offers XC training. Low-cost family-friendly camping near Zion National Park. For cool maps, photos and more info email ghoag@brwncald.com. August 3-5: Leakey, Texas. USHPA HG/PG National Fly-in/Texas

Open. More information: www.ﬂexwing.org/txopen, (830) 486-8031. September 1-3: Mingus Mountain, Arizona. Come enjoy the beauti-

ful views, pine forests, free camping, and the great ﬂying at almost 8000 feet above sea level. Help the Arizona Hang Glider Association celebrate at our annual fundraiser to keep and maintain this world-class site. XC tasks and a spot landing contest are planned. More information on our Web site, www.ahga.org, or contact Jerry Dalen at (623) 217-1561 or Alan Housel at (520) 235-0868.

September 14-16: Utah flying sites. Paraglider thermal flying clinic with Ken Hudonjorgensen. More information: (801) 572-3414, twocanfly@gmail.com, www.twocanfly.com. September 29-30: Utah flying sites. Paraglider mountain flying clinic with Ken Hudonjorgensen. More information: (801) 572-3414, twocanfly@gmail.com, www.twocanfly.com. October 27-28: Utah. Paraglider tandem (T-2 and T-3) clinic

with Ken Hudonjorgensen. More information about the clinic and prerequisites for participation: (801) 572-3414, twocanﬂy@gmail.com, www.twocanﬂy.com.

CLINICS, MEETINGS, TOURS June 1-3: Jackson Hole, Wyoming. Paraglider tandem certiﬁca-

tion clinic presented by tandem administrator Scott Harris at Jackson Hole Mountain Resort. More info: www.jhparagliding.com or call (307) 690-8726. June 2-3: Utah. Paraglider mountain ﬂying clinic with Ken Hudon-

jorgensen. More information: (801) 572-3414, twocanfly@gmail.com, www.twocanfly.com. June 8-10: Jackson Hole, Wyoming. Paraglider instructor certifica-

tion program presented by instructor administrator Scott Harris. More info: www.jhparagliding.com or call (307) 690-8726. June 16-22: Girdwood, Alaska. Join Peak to Peak Paragliding for

paragliding under the midnight sun. Kay Tauscher will lead a group of pilots to Alaska’s beautiful mountainous countryside for long days of great ﬂying. The primary destination will be Girdwood, Alaska, but other sites may be visited as well. Call (303) 817-0803 or email info@ peaktopeakparagliding.com for more information. July 5-7: Location to be announced. Paraglider maneuvers (SIV)

clinic with Ken Hudonjorgensen. More information: (801) 572-3414, twocanﬂy@gmail.com, www.twocanﬂy.com.

Torrey Pines, California Photo: Bill Armstrong

INDEX TO ADVERTISERS CLOUD 9 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6 DIGIFLY . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 12 FLYTEC USA . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 80 FOUNDATION FOR HG&PG . . . . 59 HALL BROTHERS . . . . . . . . . . . 63 HIGH ENERGY SPORTS. . . . . . . 26 NORTH WING . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 34 O’CONNOR FLIGHT SCHOOL. . . 22 OZONE. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2 SSA . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 62 SKY WINGS. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 29 SOL . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 54

SPORT AVIATION PUBLICATIONS . . . . . . . . . . . 37 SUPERFLY . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 32-33 THERMAL TRACKER PARAGLIDING . . . . . . . . . . . . 56 TORREY PINES . . . . . . . . . . . . . 35 TRAVERSE CITY HG&PG. . . . . . 20 USHPA BANK OF AMERICA . . . 79 USHPA DVD. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 14 USHPA RENEW . . . . . . . . . . . . . 49 USPA . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 38 WILLS WING . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5

MARKETPLACE ADVENTURE PRODUCTIONS. . . 72 FLYTEC USA GPS . . . . . . . . . . . 72 FLYTEC THERMAL . . . . . . . . . . 72 KITTY HAWK KITES . . . . . . . . . 72 LOOKOUT MOUNTAIN . . . . . . . . 72 MOYES . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 72

MPH SPORTS . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 73 NORTH WING . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 72 USHPA BOOKS . . . . . . . . . . . . . 72 USHPA XC FLIGHT AWARDS. . . 72 WINDY PLANET . . . . . . . . . . . . 73

Ra t i n g s i s s u e d d u r i n g F e b r u a r y 2 0 0 7 Paragliding Division Rating Region

P-1 P-1 P-1 P-1 P-1 P-1 P-1 P-1 P-1 P-1 P-1 P-1 P-1 P-1 P-1 P-1 P-1 P-1 P-1 P-2 P-2 P-2 P-2 P-2 P-2 P-2 P-2 P-2 P-2 P-2 P-2 P-2 P-2 P-2 P-2 P-2 P-2 P-2 P-2 P-2 P-2 P-2 P-2 P-2 P-2 P-2 P-2 P-2 P-2 P-3 P-3 P-3 P-3 P-3 P-3 P-3 P-3 P-3 P-3 P-3 P-3 P-3 P-4 P-4 P-4 P-4 P-4

Name

Hang Gliding Division City

1 Peter Hardy Friday Harbor 1 Dr. David Harrell Mukilteo 1 Elizabeth Riffey Sequim 1 Terry Scheihing Redmond 2 Katarzyna Milewska Incline Village 3 Eugene Embree Pomona 3 Michael Murphy San Diego 3 Christopher Larkin Escondido 3 Gregory Christopher Kealakekua 3 Collin Scott Huntington Beach 3 Markus Freese Trabuco Canyon 3 Mike Znachko Encinitas 3 Richard Graham Santa Barbara 3 Diane Gerard Cardiff By The Sea 4 Edwin Williams Iv Thornton 4 Janel Williams Thornton 4 Ian Heidenberger Santa Fe 8 Bill Proft Bethel 10 Marc Ejgird Nashville 1 Peter Hardy Friday Harbor 1 Terry Scheihing Redmond 2 Lloyd Williams N San Juan 2 Jow Azure Belmont 2 Katarzyna Milewska Incline Village 2 William Warren Las Vega 3 Eugene Embree Pomona 3 Henry Baker Holtville 3 Sudad Shahin Venice 3 Sean Remnant San Diego 3 Michael Murphy San Diego 3 Gregory Christopher Kealakekua 3 Tremain Petersen San Diego 3 Collin Scott Huntington Beach 3 Mike Znachko Encinitas 3 Richard Graham Santa Barbara 3 Ivan Klement Santa Barbara 4 Edwin Williams Iv Thornton 4 Janel Williams Thornton 4 Jef Anderson Richﬁeld 4 Leroy Evertsen Glendale 4 David Barton Richﬁeld 4 Mike Mayhew North Ogden 4 David Grant Glenwood Springs 4 Ian Heidenberger Santa Fe 5 Richard Waters Wilson 10 Petr Hala Tucker 10 Marc Ejgird Nashville 13 Carlos Olivera Ontario 13 Sydney Chung Hong Kong 3 Christian Mackin Lais Viejo 3 Marian Peloquin Camarillo 3 Jim Simmons Waianae 3 Neil Hiltz Solana Beach 3 Nikki Johnson Kailua 3 Eugene Embree Pomona 3 Claude Phillips Kailua 4 Ted Geving Albuquerue 7 Anthony Sackett Waconia 10 Anthony Mounts Atlanta 11 David Prevost Hollywood Park 11 Hadley Robinson El Paso 12 Jeffrey Bates Montrose 1 Mark Sanzone Portland 3 Erik Kolberg San Diego 3 Maegen Kolberg San Diego 4 Hans Russell Durango 11 Paul Greenwood Liberty Hill

State

Rating Ofﬁcial

WA Robin Marien WA Ross Jacobson WA Ross Jacobson WA Bob Hannah NV Fred Morris CA Rob Mckenzie CA Gabriel Jebb CA Gabriel Jebb HI Scott Gee CA Roman Pisar CA Gabriel Jebb CA Gabriel Jebb CA Chad Bastian CA Gabriel Jebb CO Kay Tauscher CO Kay Tauscher NM William Smith VT Chris Santacroce TN Todd Weigand WA Gabriel Jebb WA Bob Hannah CA Scott Amy CA Wallace Anderson NV Fred Morris NV Chris Santacroce CA Rob Mckenzie CA Gabriel Jebb CA Gabriel Jebb CA Gabriel Jebb CA Gabriel Jebb HI Scott Gee CA Gabriel Jebb CA Roman Pisar CA Gabriel Jebb CA Chad Bastian CA Bruce Kirk CO Kay Tauscher CO Kay Tauscher UT Stacy Whitmore AZ Carlos Madureira UT Stacy Whitmore UT Bill Heaner CO Etienne Pienaar NM William Smith WY Josh Riggs GA Christopher Grantham TN Todd Weigand Gabriel Jebb Jeffrey Greenbaum CA Joshua Meyers CA Chad Bastian HI Pete Michelmore CA Rob Sporrer HI Pete Michelmore CA Rob Mckenzie HI Pete Michelmore NM William Smith MN Nik Peterson GA Granger Banks TX R C Estes TX Gabriel Jebb NY Granger Banks OR Steve Roti CA Gabriel Jebb CA Gabriel Jebb CO Richard Kocurek TX Chris Santacroce

Rating Region

H-1 H-1 H-1 H-1 H-1 H-1 H-1 H-1 H-1 H-1 H-1 H-1 H-1 H-1 H-1 H-2 H-2 H-2 H-2 H-2 H-2 H-2 H-2 H-2 H-2 H-2 H-2 H-3 H-3 H-3 H-3 H-3 H-3 H-3 H-4 H-4 H-4 H-5

Name

1 Oscar Trujillo 2 David Keisling 3 Eugene Embree 3 John Wright 3 Dan Brennan 3 Edward Shaffer 3 Joseph Riccobono 4 Liz Holt 6 Richard Michaels 6 David Maginnis 10 Lawrence Hall 10 Pablo Indacochea 10 Han Kwak 12 Jason Powers 13 Arne Haugaard 1 Yeung Pai 1 Oscar Trujillo 2 Yotam Margalit 3 John Wright 3 Hunor Tasnadi 3 Erik Larabie 6 Richard Michaels 10 John Nuchols 10 Lawrence Hall 10 Pablo Indacochea 10 Han Kwak 12 Jason Powers 3 Peter Marino Iii 4 Mark Knight 10 Lance Maclean 10 Nicky Della Grotta 11 Arthur Cayer 12 Ronald Letzin 12 Todd Sheehan 1 Marty Van Datta 1 Darren Darsey 8 Lee Minardi 5 Jeff Shapiro

City

State

Portland Richmond Pomona Huntington Beach San Leando Canyon Country Los Angeles Salt Lake City Blanchard Norman Dunwoody Decatur Atlanta Clarence Center Hvalsoe Olympia Portland Castro Valley Huntington Beach Los Angeles Burbank Blanchard Oak Ridge Dunwoody Decatur Atlanta Clarence Center Dana Point Tempe Naples Davie Friendswood Rochester Fairport Renton Seattle Lexington Missoula

OR CA CA CA CA CA CA UT OK OK GA GA GA NY

Rating Ofﬁcial

James Tindle Patrick Denevan Rob Mckenzie Rob Mckenzie Patrick Denevan Lynden Vazquez Paul Thornbury Peter Cj Anderson Greg Berger Tammy Burcar Gordon Cayce Gordon Cayce Gordon Cayce Robert Lane George Hamilton WA Patrick Denevan OR James Tindle CA Patrick Denevan CA Rob Mckenzie CA Andrew Beem CA Paul Thornbury OK Greg Berger TN Erik Graper GA Gordon Cayce GA Gordon Cayce GA Gordon Cayce NY Robert Lane CA Steve Stackable AZ Greg Berger FL James Tindle FL James Tindle TX Mark Demarino NY Joel Spano NY Brooks Lyon WA Eric Thorstenson WA Russell Gelfan MA Gary Trudeau MT Karl Hallman

Jim Rowan launching from Spruce Knob, the highest point in West Virginia, in late May 2006 during the Region 9 regionals Photo: Harry Lewis

June 2007: Hang Gliding & Paragliding – w w w.ushpa.aero

THERMAL NUCLEAR DETECTION

June 2007: Hang Gliding & Paragliding – w w w.ushpa.aero

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Useful URLs and phone numbers: For magazine submissions: http://ushpa.aero/magazine.asp For accident reports: http://ushpa.aero/emailacca.asp For membership info, change of address, and other USHPA business: info@ushpa.aero (719) 632-8300 Members only section: https://ushpa.aero/member_ login.asp

The Renegades performing their “halfpipe” maneuver Photo courtesy Renegades/SKYWALK gliders

HANG GLIDING ADVISORY: Used hang gliders should always be disassembled before flying for the first time and inspected carefully for fatigued, bent or dented downtubes, ruined bushings, bent bolts (especially the heart bolt), re-used Nyloc nuts, loose thimbles, frayed or rusted cables, tangs with non-circular holes, and on flex wings, sails badly torn or torn loose from their anchor points front and back on the keel and leading edges. PARAGLIDING ADVISORY: Used paragliders should always be thoroughly inspected before flying for the first time. Annual inspections on paragliders should include sailcloth strength tests. Simply performing a porosity check isn’t sufficient. Some gliders pass porosity yet have very weak sailcloth. If in doubt, many hang gliding and paragliding businesses will be happy to give an objective opinion on the condition of equipment you bring them to inspect. BUYERS SHOULD SELECT EQUIPMENT THAT IS APPROPRIATE FOR THEIR SKILL LEVEL OR RATING. NEW PILOTS SHOULD SEEK PROFESSIONAL INSTRUCTION FROM A USHPA CERTIFIED INSTRUCTOR.

HARNESSES HARNESSES – 5’0”-6’5”. Cocoons $125+up. High Energy Cocoons $200+up, Pods $200+up. Inventory, selection changes constantly. Some trades accepted. (262) 473-8800, info@hanggliding.com, www.hanggliding .com, http://stores.ebay.com/raven-sports. XC HG HARNESS - NEW! This is a high-class harness suitable for HG competition or XC ﬂying. Pitch adjustment, parachute attached directly to karabiner and more features for all XC and competition pilots. $795. See pictures, and more information http://www.jazztrike.com, (630) 533-1288.

PARAGLIDERS PRO DESIGN JAZZ – Medium, PD Move Harness/Reserve, Medium, New condition, less than 7 hours airtime. $1800 includes helmet, vario, etc. Call Mark, (970) 5310212.

RIGID WINGS

FLEX WINGS

ATOS VR – New May 2006. Excellent condition, 50 hours, $14,000. (336) 922-5691. SCHOOLS & DEALERS

135 SPORT 2 – less than 30 hours, perfect condition. $3300. Litespeed 5S-mylar sail, great condition. $2650 (970) 641-5654.

SCHOOLS & DEALERS

2001 LAMINAR MRX – 14-meter, great condition, 65 hours, lime green and orange, $2250 OBO. Call Bruce Waugh (541) 765-3191 brucewaugh@hotmail.com. 2005 LAMINAR 07 13.7 – Mint condition. Purple/Green. $2500 Call Steve Lee (423) 949-2176 - TN. EVEN-UP TRADES – Looking to move up from your beginner or novice glider, but can’t put up cash? (262) 473-8800, info@hanggliding.com, www.hanggliding .com, http://stores.ebay.com/raven-sports. FALCONS CLEARANCE SALE – School use, one season. Falcon 1s and 2s. All sizes $1250-$2500. (262) 473-8800, info@hanggliding.com, www.hanggliding .com, http://stores.ebay.com/raven-sports.

ALABAMA LOOKOUT MOUNTAIN FLIGHT PARK – The best facilities, largest inventory, camping, swimming, volleyball, more. Wide range of accommodations. hanglide.com, 877-hanglide, (877) 426-4543.

ARIZONA FLY HIGH PARAGLIDING.COM – over 10 years of experience, offers P-2 certification, tandem flights, towing, new and used equipment, the best weather to fly in USA. (480) 266-6969.

CALIFORNIA

LAMINAR MR700WR - Mylar sail, carbon speedbar, carbon battens. Colors - red/black. Good condition. $2490 OBO. (630) 533-1288 or email grzybk@att.net.

AIRJUNKIES PARAGLIDING – Year-round excellent instruction, Southern California & Baja. Powered paragliding, clinics, tours, tandem, towing. Ken Baier, (760) 753-2664, airjunkies@sbcglobal.net, airjunkies.com.

EMERGENCY PARACHUTES

DREAM WEAVER HANG GLIDING – Competitive prices, state-of-the-art equipment. Complete lesson programs. Northern California Mosquito harness dealer. Ideal training hill. Tandem instruction. USHPA advanced instructor Doug Prather, (209) 556-0469, Modesto, California. drmwvrhg@softcom.net.

INSPECTED RESERVES – For HG or PG $199+up. Used Quantum, all sizes $475+up. Some trades accepted. info@hanggliding.com, www.hanggliding.com, http://stores.ebay.com/raven-sports, (262) 473-8800.

EMPLOYMENT NORTH WING DESIGN – is accepting applications for metal shop/wing and trike airframe mechanic. Also accepting applications for sail maker and sewing machine operator. Send application to: 3904 Airport Way, E. Wenatchee, WA 98802 or Fax (509) 886-3435 (www .northwing.com).

EAGLE PARAGLIDING – SANTA BARBARA offers the best year round flying in the nation. Awardwinning instruction, excellent mountain and ridge sites. www.FlySantaBarbara.com, (805) 968-0980. FLY ABOVE ALL – Year-round instruction in beautiful Santa Barbara! USHPA novice through advanced certification. Thermaling to competition training. Visit www.flyaboveall.com, (805) 965-3733.

MIKE BUTLER HANG GLIDING SCHOOL – Located just 30 minutes west of Yosemite National Park. WW and Flytec dealer. mbutler@sti.net, (209) 742- 8540. MISSION SOARING CENTER – Largest hang gliding center in the West! Our deluxe retail shop showcases the latest equipment: Wills Wing, Moyes, AIR, High Energy, Flytec, Icaro. West Coast distributor for A.I.R. Atos rigid wings including the all-new VX Tandem Atos. Parts in stock. We stock new and used equipment. Trade-ins welcome. Complete lesson program. Best training park in the West, located just south of the San Francisco Bay Area. Pittman Hydraulic Winch System for Hang 1s and above. Launch and landing clinics for Hang 3s and Hang 4s. Wills Wing Falcons of all sizes and custom training harnesses. 1116 Wrigley Way, Milpitas, CA 95035. (408) 262-1055, Fax (408) 262-1388, mission@ hang-gliding.com, www.hang-gliding.com, Mission Soaring Center, leading the way since 1973. O’CONNOR FLIGHT SCHOOL – Specializing in Safety In-Flight Training & Maneuvers Clinics and Aerobatic Instruction. Enhance your knowledge, increase your level of confidence, take your piloting skills to new levels. Overthe-water safety and aerobatics clinics. Enleau and Ann O’Connor, www.oconnorflightschool.com, (530) 2274055 and reserve your clinic. TORREY PINES GLIDERPORT – Come soar in San Diego! This family-owned and operated flying site offers USHPA certified instruction, advanced training, equipment sales, tandem flight instruction, motorized pg/hg instruction and site tours. We also have an extensive pg/ hg outfitting shop offering parachute repacks and fullservice repairs. Bring your family for our amazing sunsets and dining at the Cliffhanger Cafe. Importers for Para-tech and Independence gliders. We also carry AustriAlpin, Center of Gravity, Crispi and Sup’Air. Check us out online for sales and questions at: www.flytorrey.com, or call toll-free at 1-877-FLY-TEAM (359-8326). Also, tune in to the Internet Paragliding Talk Show at www.worldtalkradio .com every Tuesday 9-11:00 a.m. (PST). WINDSPORTS – Don’t risk bad weather, bad instruction or dangerous training hills. 350 flyable days each year. Learn foot-launch flying skills safely and quickly. Train with professional CFI’s at world-famous Dockweiler Beach training slopes (5 minutes from LA airport). Fly winter or summer in gentle coastal winds, soft sand and in a thorough program with one of America’s most prestigious schools for over 25 years. (818) 367-2430, www.windsports.com.

COLORADO AIRTIME ABOVE HANG GLIDING — Full-time lessons, sales, service. Colorado’s most experienced! Wills Wing, Moyes, Altair, Aeros, Airwave, High Energy, Finsterwalder, Flytec, MotoComm and much more. Call (303) 674-2451, Evergreen, Colorado. AirtimeHG@aol.com. GUNNISON GLIDERS – Serving the western slope. Instruction, sales, service, sewing, accessories. Site information, ratings. 1549 County Road 17, Gunnison CO 81230. (970) 641-9315, 1-866-238-2305.

THE HANG GLIDING CENTER – PO Box 151542, San Diego CA 92175, (619) 265-5320.

June 2007: Hang Gliding & Paragliding – w w w.ushpa.aero

PEAK TO PEAK PARAGLIDING LLC – THE Front Range paragliding school, located in Boulder. Offering excellent state-of-the-art instruction. Equipment & tandems. (303) 817-0803, Info@peaktopeakparagliding.com, www .peaktopeakparagliding.com.FLO

FLORIDA FLORIDA RIDGE AEROTOW PARK – 18265 E State Road 80, Clewiston, Florida, (863) 805-0440, www.thefloridaridge.com. GRAYBIRD AIRSPORTS – Paraglider & hang glider towing & training, Dragonfly aerotow training, XC, thermaling, instruction, equipment. Dunnellon Airport, (352) 245-8263, email fly@graybirdairsports.com, www.graybirdairsports.com. LOOKOUT MOUNTAIN FLIGHT PARK – Nearest mountain training center to Orlando. Two training hills, novice mountain launch, aerotowing, great accommodations. hanglide.com, 877-hanglide, (877) 426-4543. MIAMI HANG GLIDING – For year-round training fun in the sun. (305) 285-8978, 2550 S Bayshore Drive, Coconut Grove, Florida 33133, www.miamihanggliding.com. QUEST AIR – #1 site for US competition & the biggest flights on the East coast. No-wait, 1-on-1 lessons from first tandem to advanced XC training. Towing 8amsunset everyday. All amenities including on-site accommodations, time-honored clubhouse, pool, hot tub and private lake. Demos, rentals, sales, storage & repairs. Minutes from Orlando in Groveland, FL. Phone (352) 429-0213, fax (352) 429-4846, www.questairforce.com, questair@ mpinet.com, 1-877-FLY-QUEST. WALLABY AEROTOW FLIGHT PARK – Satisfaction Guaranteed. Just 8 miles from Disney World. Year-round soaring, open 7 days a week, six tugs, no waiting, every direction. 50+ nice demos to fly, topless to trainer gliders: Laminar, Moyes, Wills, Airborne, Airwave, Exxtacy, La Mouette, Sensor; also harnesses, varios, etc. Ages 13 to 73 have learned to fly here. No one comes close to our level of experience and success with tandem aerotow instruction. A great scene for family and friends. 10 motels & restaurants within 5 minutes. Camping, hot showers, shade trees, sales, storage, ratings, XC retrievals, great weather, climbing wall, trampoline, DSS TV, ping pong, picnic tables, swimming pool, etc. Flights of over 200 miles and more than 7 hours. Articles in Hang Gliding, Kitplanes, Skywings, Cross Country and others. Featured on numerous TV shows, including Dateline NBC, The Discovery Channel & ESPN. Visit us on the Web: http://www.wallaby.com. Please call us for references and video. 1805 Dean Still Road, Disney Area, FL 33837 (863) 424-0070, phone & fax, fly@wallaby .com, 1-800-WALLABY. Conservative, reliable, state-ofthe-art. F.H.G. INC., flying Florida since 1974.

GEORGIA LOOKOUT MOUNTAIN FLIGHT PARK – Discover why 5 times as many pilots earn their wings at LMFP. Enjoy our 110-acre mountain resort. www.hanglide.com, 877-hanglide, (877) 426-4543.

HAWAII FLY HAWAII – Hawaii’s hang gliding, paragliding/ paramotoring school. Mauna Kea guide service. Big Island Hawaii, Achim Hagemann (808) 895-9772, www.aircotec .net/flyhawaii.htm, flyaglider@yahoo.com. ALOHA! ISLAND POWERED PARAGLIDERS/THERMALUP PARAGLIDING – The Big Island’s only choice for USHPA certified instruction. Both free flight and powered tandems year round. DVD of your flight included. One-onone lessons from our private oceanside launches and training facilities. Contact Yeti, (808) 987-0773, www .ThermalUp.com or www.IslandPPG.com. Aloha! PROFLYGHT PARAGLIDING – Call Dexter for friendly information about flying on Maui. Full-service school offering beginner to advanced instruction every day, year round. (808) 874-5433, paraglidehawaii.com.IDAHO

IDAHO KING MOUNTAIN GLIDERS – Alluring site plus shop supplying all your HG/PG needs. Instruction, equipment sales, complete accessories. Visit our Web site www .kingmountaingliders.com or (208) 390-0205.

TRAVERSE CITY HANG GLIDERS/PARAGLIDERS – Put your knees in our breeze and soar our 450’ sand dunes. Full-time shop. Certiﬁed instruction, beginner to advanced. Sales, service, accessories for ALL major brands. Visa/MasterCard. 1509 E 8th, Traverse City MI 49684. Offering powered paragliding. Call Bill at (231) 922-2844, tchangglider@chartermi.net. Your USA & Canada Mosquito distributor. www.mosquitoamerica.com.

NEW YORK AAA E-VILLE OUTFITTERS, MOUNTAIN WINGS INC. – Aeros, North Wing (845) 647-3377, mtnwings@verizon .net, www.evilleoutfitters.com, Ellenville, N.Y. FLY HIGH, INC. – Serving New York, Jersey, and Connecticut areas. Area’s exclusive Wills Wing dealer. Also all other brands, accessories. Area’s most INEXPENSIVE prices! Certified instruction/service since 1979. Excellent secondary instruction! Taken some lessons? Advance to mountain flying! www.flyhighhg.com, (845) 744-3317. SUSQUEHANNA FLIGHT PARK COOPERSTOWN – 160’ training hill with rides up. 600’ ridge – large LZ. Specializing in first mountain flights. Dan Guido, 293 Shoemaker Road, Mohawk NY 13407. (315) 866-6153, dguido@dfamilk.com.

INDIANA CLOUD 9 SPORT AVIATION – See Cloud 9 in Michigan.

MAINE DOWNEAST AIRSPORTS – Paragliding and hang gliding instruction, quality equipment sales. Extended training/tour packages with lodging available. www.downeastairsports.com, in_a_cloud@hotmail.com, Marc (207) 244-9107.

MARYLAND HIGHLAND AEROSPORTS – Baltimore and DC’s fulltime flight park: tandem instruction, solo aerotows and equipment sales and service. We carry Aeros, Airwave, Flight Design, Moyes, Wills Wing, High Energy Sports, Flytec and more. Two 115-HP Dragonfly tugs. Open fields as far as you can see. Only 1 to 1.5 hours from Rehoboth Beach, Baltimore, Washington DC, Philadelphia. Come Fly with US! (410) 634-2700, Fax (410) 634-2775, 24038 Race Track Rd, Ridgely, MD 21660, www.aerosports.net, hangglide@aerosports.net.

MICHIGAN CLOUD 9 SPORT AVIATION – Aerotow specialists. We carry all major brand hang gliders and accessories. Cloud 9 Field, 11088 Coon Lake Road West, Webberville MI 48892. Cloud9sa@aol.com, http://members.aol .com/cloud9sa. Call for summer tandem lessons and ﬂying appointments with the Draachen Fliegen Soaring Club at Cloud 9 Field. (517) 223-8683, DFSCinc@aol.com, http://members.aol.com/dfscinc.

June 2007: Hang Gliding & Paragliding – w w w.ushpa.aero

NORTH CAROLINA KITTY HAWK KITES – FREE Hang 1 training with purchase of equipment! The largest hang gliding school in the world. Teaching since 1974. Learn to ﬂy over the East Coast’s largest sand dune. Year-round instruction, foot launch and tandem aerotow. Dealer for all major manufacturers. Ultralight instruction and tours. (252) 441-2426, 1-877-FLY-THIS, www.kittyhawk.com.

OHIO CLOUD 9 SPORT AVIATION – See Cloud 9 in Michigan.

PUERTO RICO FLY PUERTO RICO WITH TEAM SPIRIT HG! – Flying tours, rentals, tandems, HG and PG classes, H-2 and P-2 intensive novice courses, full sales. (787) 850-0508, tshg@coqui.net.

TENNESSEE LOOKOUT MOUNTAIN FLIGHT PARK – Just outside Chattanooga. Become a complete pilot – foot launch, aerotow, mountain launch, ridge soar, thermal soar. hanglide.com, 877-hanglide, (877) 426-4543. TENNESSEE TREE TOPPERS – #1 club in America. Home of the world famous Radial Ramp; great XC, easy launch, huge LZ. Just north of Chattanooga. www .treetoppers.org.

TEXAS AUSTIN AIR SPORTS – Hang gliding and ultralight sales, service and instruction. Steve Burns, (512) 236-0031, sburns@austinairsports.com. Fred Burns, (281) 4711488, austinair@aol.com, WWW.AUSTINAIRSPORTS .COM.

GO...HANG GLIDING!!! – Jeff Hunt. Austin ph/fax (512) 467-2529, jeff@ﬂytexas.com, www.ﬂytexas.com.U

UTAH CLOUD 9 SOARING CENTER — Once again, we are the closest shop to the Point of the Mountain. Utah’s only fulltime PG/HG shop and repair facility. Contact 1-888-9445433 or www.paragliders.com. HANG GLIDE UTAH! LLC – The one and only fullservice hang gliding school in Utah! We provide lessons 7 days a week, including tandem instruction. We also provide mountain tours. Currently in stock: New Falcon 2 140 and North Wing Horizon ET 180, as well as a variety of used equipment. Please visit our Web site at www .hangglideutah.com, email pete@hangglideutah.com or call (801) 232-1964. LEARN TO FLY WITH SUPER FLY, CHRIS SANTACROCE AND A WORLD CLASS TEAM. With very small classes, a fantastic training site (Point of the Mountain) and brand-new, state-of-the-art training equipment, you can’t go wrong. Over-the-water maneuvers coaching, optional paramotor training and experience in both high and low wind help us to output a very well rounded pilot. Contact chris@superflyinc.com or at (801) 706-6076 to schedule your intensive paraglider training course. Don’t want to come to Utah? Learn with one of our 50+ instructor/ dealers throughout the continent. REVOLUTION FLIGHT SCHOOL – with Bill Heaner and the Revolution Instructor Team. Closest paragliding school to the Point of the Mountain! Learn true wing mastery from some of the greatest instructors in the world. We offer P-1 through P-4, tandem flights, instructor certification, tandem certification, over-the-water courses, paramotor instruction, guided tours and a full-service shop within five minutes of the Point of the Mountain. Campground, shopping and hotel accommodations within walking distance of our shop. Contact Bill Heaner, 800-707-2525, bill@rpmppg .com, to get on our schedule. www.rpmppg.com/school/ facility. CLOUD 9 SOARING CENTER – Once again, we are the closest shop to the Point of the Mountain. Utah’s only full-time PG/HG shop and repair facility. Contact 1-888944-5433 or www.paragliders.com.

VIRGINIA BLUE SKY – Full-time instruction at Blue Sky Flight Park near Richmond. Scooter, platform and aerotowing available. All major brands of equipment, with Mosquitos and Doodlebugs in stock. Steve Wendt (540) 432-6557, (804) 241-4324, www.blueskyhg.com.

WASHINGTON AERIAL PARAGLIDING SCHOOL AND FLIGHT PARK – Award-winning instructors at a world-class training facility. Contact Doug Stroop at (509) 782-5543 or visit www.paragliding.us.

WYOMING JACKSON HOLE PARAGLIDING – A perfect ﬂying day: Launch the Jackson Hole Mountain Resort Aerial Tram in the morning, tow at the Palisades Reservoir in the afternoon. Contact: scharris@wyoming.com, www.jhparagliding.com, (307) 690-TRAM (8726).

INTERNATIONAL BAJA MEXICO – La Salina: PG, HG, PPG www .FLYLASALINA.com, www.BAJABRENT.com, He’ll hook you up! rooms, tours, & intros, bajabrent@bajabrent .com, 760-203-2658. MEXICO – VALLE DE BRAVO and beyond for hang gliding and paragliding. Year-round availability and special tours, Gear, guiding, instruction, transportation, lodging – all varieties for your needs. www.ﬂymexico.com, 1-800-8617198 USA.P

PARTS & ACCESSORIES ALL HG GLIDERBAGS, harness packs, harness zippers and zipper stocks. Instrument mounts and replacement bands. Mitts, straps, fabric parts, windsocks, radios. Gunnison Gliders, 1-866-238-2305. BIG EARS PTT – $99.95. Includes speaker and microphone, radio connection, sealed finger switch. Choose the full-face or the open-face model. www.bigearsptt.com, (805) 965-3733. CRITTER MOUNTAIN WEAR – your one-stop Web site for paraglider equipment and accessories. You can find a full line of backpacks, stuff tarps, flight suits, clothing, GPS and vario holders, flight decks, ballast containers, radio holders, tow bridles, windsocks, boots, helmets, hook knives, varios, windspeed meters and much, much more. Everything you need to have the ultimate day flying your paraglider. Critter Mountain Wear also imports and distributes lightweight wings and harnesses from Nervures. Go Wild. Escape from overcrowded takeoffs to launch with cool serenity, share a mountain flight with good friends, or travel the world in search of poetic flights amidst stunning landscapes… that’s what the pilots and designers at Nervures dream of. crittermountainwear.com, 800-686-9327. FLIGHT SUITS, FLIGHT SUITS, FLIGHT SUITS, Warm Flight suits, Efficient Flight suits, Light-weight Flight suits, Flight suits in twelve sizes. Stylish Flight suits. www .mphsports.com, (503) 657-8911. FOR ALL YOUR FLYING NEEDS – Check out the Aviation Depot at www.mojosgear.com featuring over 1000 items for foot-launched and powered paragliding, hang gliding, stunt and power kiting, and powered parachutes. 24/7 secure online shopping. Books, videos, KITES, gifts, engine parts, harness accessories, electronics, clothing, safety equipment, complete powered paragliding units with training from Hill Country Paragliding Inc. www .hillcountryparagliding.com, 1-800-664-1160 for orders only. Office (325) 379-1567. GLIDERBAGS – XC $75! Heavy waterproof $125. Accessories, low prices, fast delivery! Gunnison Gliders, 1549 County Road 17, Gunnison CO 81230. (970) 641-9315, orders 1-866-238-2305. 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. ONLY $169. Mallettec, PO Box 15756, Santa Ana CA 92735. (949) 795-0421, MC/Visa accepted, www.mallettec.com. OXYGEN SYSTEMS – The world-class XCR-180 operates up to 3 hours @18,000 feet and weighs only 4 lbs. Complete kit with cylinder, harness, regulator, cannula and remote on/off flowmeter, only $400. 1-800-468-8185.

RISING AIR GLIDER REPAIR SERVICES – A fullservice shop, specializing in all types of paragliding repairs, annual inspections, reserve repacks, harness repairs. Hang gliding reserve repacks and repair. For information or repair estimate, call (208) 554-2243, pricing and service request form available at www.risingair.biz, billa@atcnet.net. TANDEM LANDING GEAR – Rascal™ brand by Raven, simply the best. New & used. (262) 473-8800, www.hanggliding.com, info@hanggliding.com, http:// stores.ebay.com/raven-sports. WHEELS FOR AIRFOIL BASETUBES – WHOOSH! Wheels™ (Patent Pending), Moyes/Airborne & Wills Wing compatible. Dealer inquiries invited. (262) 473-8800, www.hanggliding.com, info@hanggliding.com, http:// stores.ebay.com/raven-sports. WINDSOKS FROM HAWK AIRSPORTS INC – 1673 Corbin Lake Rd, Rutledge, TN 37861, 1-800-826-2719. Worldfamous Windsoks, as seen at the Oshkosh & Sun-N-Fun EAA Fly-Ins. Hawk@windsok.com, www.windsok.com.

PUBLICATIONS & ORGANIZATIONS *NEW* AND THE WORLD COULD FLY – And the World Could Fly tells the story of how piloting for the masses became a possibility and then a reality. This is a tale of free flight in every sense of the term. Edited by Stéphane Malbos and Noel Whittall, And the World Could Fly contains contributions from many parts of the world as well as much new writing. Together, the editors have more than fifty years of undiminished enthusiasm for foot-launched flight. And the World Could Fly is produced by the International Hang Gliding and Paragliding Commission (CIVL) to celebrate the centenary of FAI. It is a book which will appeal to anyone with an interest in free flight, whether an old-stager who can remember the early California days or a newcomer who wonders where it all came from. Call USHPA 1-800-616-6888 or order off our Web site, www .ushpa.aero. PO Box 1330, Colorado Springs CO 80901. BIRDFLIGHT – Otto Lilienthal’s genius in scientific observations and analysis, documented in this work, became the basis for the experimentation of the early pioneers in aviation. The “hero” of the Wright brothers, Otto is considered to be “The Father of Gliding Flight.” Lilienthal’s definitive book has been out of print for almost a century, but is now available to everyone for a wonderful and absorbing journey into aviation history. 176 pages, 16 photographs, 89 drawings and 14 graphs. $19.95 (+$5 s/h) Call USHPA at 1-800-616-6888 or order off our Web site, www.ushpa.aero. PO Box 1330, Colorado Springs CO 80901. *NEW* CLOUDSUCK: The Life and Death Struggle for the Hang Gliding World Record. Davis Straub tells the story of the dramatic 10-year race to fly “farther than anyone has ever gone in a hang glider.” From the historic 1990 flight that first broke the 300-mile barrier, through 10 years of adventure and challenge, this is a first-hand account of the driven individuals who struggled against each other and against nature to set the next hang gliding world distance record. $17.95. Call USHPA 1-800-616-6888 or order off our Web site, www.ushpa.aero. PO Box 1330, Colorado Springs CO 80901.

June 2007: Hang Gliding & Paragliding – w w w.ushpa.aero

*NEW* CONDOR TRAIL, PARAGLIDING THE CENTRAL ANDES – the guidebook to paragliding and traveling in the Central Andes. It’s packed with 256 pages of maps, site descriptions, local lore, free-flight contacts and photos, all the information you need to plan your own Andean paragliding adventure. Most of the launch and landing access throughout the Andes is done with cheap public transportation. Condor Trail gives you bus routes to catch, areas to avoid, traveler tips, and contacts for the local flying communities throughout Ecuador, Peru, Bolivia, Northern Argentina, and Northern Chile. Call USHPA at 1-800-616-6888 or order off our Web site, www .ushpa.aero. PO Box 1330, Colorado Springs CO 80901. FLY THE WING! HOOKING INTO HANG GLIDING – By Len Holms. This is the perfect book for those curious about the sport of hang gliding. Written at a level that will not swamp the reader with a daunting amount of technical details, you will learn about hang glider wings and the skills needed to fly them. 84 pages with photos and illustrations. $12.95(+$5 s&h). Call USHPA at 1-800616-6888 or order off our Web site, www.ushpa.aero. PO Box 1330, Colorado Springs CO 80901. SOARING – Monthly magazine of The Soaring Society of America Inc. Covers all aspects of soaring flight. Full membership $64. SSA, PO Box 2100, Hobbs NM 88241. (505) 392-1177, ssa.org.

VIDEOS & DVDS VIDEOS FROM USHPA – WWW.USHPA.AERO

*NEW* PARAGLIDING: LEARN TO FLY DVD – This MISCELLANEOUS DVD brings to life many of the hard-to-visualize concepts which are so important for us to understand, like airflow “AEROBATICS” POSTER – Full color 23”x 31” poster around hills and mountains, turbulence and convergence, featuring John Heiney doing what he does bestLOOPING! See www.ushpa.aero under store/misc for dynamic and thermic lift, plus aerodynamics like lift and example. Available through USHPA HQ for just $6.95 drag, speed to fly and so on. The production team have spent months on the 3D animation and video sequenc- (+$5.00 s/h). USHPA, PO Box 1300, Colorado Springs CO 80933. (USA & Canada only. Sorry, posters are NOT ing. $44.95. Call USHPA 1-800-616-6888 or order off AVAILABLE on international orders.) our Web site, www.ushpa.aero. PO Box 1330, Colorado Springs CO 80901. DVDS-VIDEOS-BOOKS-POSTERS – Check out our Web store at www.ushpa.aero. *NEW* PERFORMANCE FLYING DVD – When it comes to making paragliding films, Jocky Sanderson doesn’t pull any punches. The suave Englishman’s slick production skills were first evidenced in his debut films, “Security in Flight” and “Speed to Fly.” Jocky’s latest film, produced with Ozone’s test team, hones in on the finer piloting skills of flying XC, acro and SIV. $42.95. Call USHPA 1-800616-6888 or order off our Web site, www.ushpa.aero. PO Box 1330, Colorado Springs CO 80901. *NEW* RED BULL X-ALPS DVD – Red Bull X-Alps 2005 finishes in Monaco! This stunning DVD features over 70 minutes of footage, including pilot interviews and wild POV camera angles. $41.95. Call USHPA 1-800-616-6888 or order off our Web site, www.ushpa.aero. PO Box 1330, Colorado Springs CO 80901. RISK & REWARD – By Jeff Goin. This 70-min. DVD exposes the risks and rewards of powered paragliding in a fun, action-packed adventure. You owe yourself this inside look that could easily save your life. Three years in the making, Risk & Reward gathers wisdom from a long list of instructors. Spectacular video from around the world sheds light on essential concepts with clarity and realism. $29.95. Order yours at www.ushpa.aero/store.

*NEW* DARE DEVIL FLYERS – The 94-minute digital video docupicture covers all thirty years of hang gliding and all seventeen years of paragliding. It begins with the Bob and Chris Wills story – they founded Wills Wing, the only surviving American manufacturer/dis- *NEW* SPEED/SECURITY DVD – “Speed to Fly” and tributor of hang gliders and paragliders. Two legendary “Security in Flight” are two great films designed to help you progress in paragliding, packed with stunning air-topilots guide the audience through these extreme sports air footage. $48.95. Call USHPA 1-800-616-6888 or with their narrative. The docupic features competition in order off our Web site, www.ushpa.aero. PO Box 1330, the extreme sports of aerobatic hang gliding, speed hang gliding and high-altitude cross-country paragliding. Wing- Colorado Springs CO 80901. mounted POV cameras provide the docupic with an in- USHPA MAGAZINE ARCHIVE 1971-2004 – The DVD the-air thrill ride from the Rocky Mountains to the Pacific set holds the history of our sport, from the earliest days coast. Narrator Bobby Carradine threads us through the of bamboo and plastic to the present. Within these pages three decades. Call USHPA at 1-800-616-6888 or or- you’ll find the evolution of foot-launched flight from the der off our Web site, www.ushpa.aero. PO Box 1330, first days of bamboo dune-skimmers to the modern vaColorado Springs CO 80901. riety of hang gliders, paragliders and rigid wings. Each PDF file is one complete magazine, just as originally pub*NEW* INSTABILITY 2 DVD – Bruce Goldsmith’s new film is set to become the new benchmark in SIV instruc- lished. Pages with color are produced as color scans, the tion. In 1992, the Airwave designer co-presented “Insta- rest scanned as black and white images. Future issues will be available on an update disk. Each disk includes bility,” a film which helped thousands of paraglider pilots Adobe Acrobat Reader Version 7 for Windows, Macintosh gain insight into tips and tricks learned by the professional test pilots. $41.95. Call USHPA 1-800-616-6888 or or- and Linux systems. $30 for members and $90 for nonder off our Web site, www.ushpa.aero. PO Box 1330, Col- members. Call USHPA at 1-800-616-6888 or order off our Web site, www.ushpa.aero. PO Box 1330, Colorado orado Springs CO 80901. Springs CO 80901. *NEW* NEVER ENDING THERMAL – This DVD is an “Endless Summer” for the free-flying generation. The action-packed documentary features the adventures of Venezuelan pilots Herminio Cordido and Jorge Atramiz as they embark on an around-the-world paragliding odyssey. $41.95. Call USHPA 1-800-616-6888 or order off our Web site, www.ushpa.aero. PO Box 1330, Colorado Springs CO 80901.

June 2007: Hang Gliding & Paragliding – w w w.ushpa.aero

WORLDWIDE INTERNET PARAGLIDING TALK SHOW – WWW.WORLDTALKRADIO.COM. Listen live or to the archives! Live Tuesday 9-11:00 a.m. (PST). Call toll-free, 1-888-514-2100 or internationally at (001) 858-2683068. Paraglider pilots and radio hosts David and Gabriel Jebb want to hear about your stories, promotions/events or insight; they also take questions! CLASSIFIED ADVERTISING RATES – The rate for classified advertising is $10.00 for 25 words and $1.00 per word after 25. MINIMUM AD CHARGE $10.00. Phone number=2 words. Email or Web address=3 words. AD DEADLINES: All ad copy, instructions, changes, additions & cancellations must be received in writing 2 months preceding the cover date, i.e. November 15th is the deadline for the January issue. ALL CLASSIFIEDS ARE PREPAID. If paying by check, please include the following with your payment: name, address, phone, category, how many months you want the ad to run and the classified ad. Please make checks payable to USHPA, P.O. Box 1330, Colorado Springs, CO 80901-1330. If paying with credit card, you may email the previous information and classified to info@ushpa.aero. For safety reason, please call your Visa/MC or Amex info to the office. No refunds will be given on ads cancelled that are scheduled to run multiple months. (719) 632-8300. Fax (719) 632-6417

STOLEN WINGS & THINGS GRADIENT ASPEN – My paraglider equipment was stolen from my vehicle on November 7th in San Diego, California. The wing was a red, gradient Aspen 26m, SOL Large CX harness, SOL 33 CELL reserve, Ozone red and gray backpack. REWARD, no questions asked, $250 or please contact me with any information regarding the equipment. David Thulin, davidthulin@hotmail.com or (307) 690-5792. STOLEN WINGS ARE LISTED AS A SERVICE TO USHGA MEMBERS. NEWEST ENTRIES ARE IN BOLD. THERE IS NO CHARGE FOR THIS SERVICE, AND LOST-AND-FOUND WINGS OR EQUIPMENT MAY BE CALLED IN TO (719) 632-8300, FAXED TO (719) 6326417, OR EMAILED TO INFO@USHPA.AERO FOR INCLUSION IN HANG GLIDING & PARAGLIDING MAGAZINE. PLEASE CALL TO CANCEL THE LISTING WHEN GLIDERS ARE RECOVERED. PERIODICALLY, THIS LISTING WILL BE PURGED.

According to Random House

En·thu·si·asm (en thoo’ zē az’ əm), n. 1. Lively, absorbing interest; excited involvement. 2. Any of the various forms of extreme religious devotion, usually associated with intense emotionalism and a break with orthodoxy. 3. Chris King.

Men·tor (men’t ər, -tôr), n. 1. A wise and trusted counselor. 2. Kim Smith.

Pas·sion (pash’ ən), n. 1. Any powerful or compelling emotion or feeling. 2. Strong aﬀection; love. 3. Mike McIntyre.

In·spi·ra·tion (in’ spə rā’ shən), n. 1. An inspiring or animating action or inﬂuence. 2. A person or thing that inspires. 3. A divine inﬂuence directly and immediately exerted upon the mind or soul of man. 4. Wayne Maxwell.

I’m sure you’ve heard that old saying: If you look up that word in the dictionary, you’ll find my picture there. Though originally intended to be humorous, even satirical, I’ve come to consider it as a basic truth, the foundation of a certain philosophy, the defining statement of group and role behaviors. Using my club as a starting point, it’s clear that the Rainier Paragliding Club has all makes and models of people, each playing an essential role in the club’s success. We have those who, upon hearing that there is a clearing in the trees, immediately set out to determine who owns the clearing and if it is flyable. Those people take on the National Forest Service and private landowners in their quest to find and open new flying sites. We have those who serve as mentors. We have those who teach quite actively, and those who teach by talking on the hillside about topics that might include the whys and why nots of flying today, why to fly or not to fly this site, landing in this place or that, what it means to be safe. We have those who provide passion, and fire it in all of us. They look for new places to meet. They put out the call for weekend pilots to join the fun. They seek out new settings, new groups, new people, and new reasons to get together. We have those who inspire our dreams, who do what the rest of us only wish we could do. We have those who travel to fly, and fly to travel, who keep our dreams alive by flying in California while the rest of us remain rain-bound. We have those who serve as our group conscience, who help us to define as a club what is right and wrong, who help provide guidance and direction for what is the greater good. In other words, we have a functioning and successful club,

and that fact is true only because so many pictures appear behind so many words in the dictionary. We recognize that all of us have talents, viewpoints, needs and desires that can be met by the success of the entity, the organization that we call our club. We understand at some deeper level that the club is made of the many, that the many are all different, but that the many are necessary in order for us to be one. But, this essay isn’t really about my club. It is about you, and how you fit into your flying community. The question really is: If we look in the dictionary, where will we find your picture?

Tom McCune, world champion, reconnecting with his shadow in Manilla, Australia

June 2007: Hang Gliding & Paragliding – w w w.ushpa.aero

Photo: Josh Cohn

By Steve Messman, staﬀ writer

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