Hang Gliding & Paragliding Vol43/Iss05 May 2013 by US Hang Gliding & Paragliding Association

MAY 2013 Volume 45 Issue 5 $6.95

HANG GLIDING & PARAGLIDING MAGAZINE

WARNING

Hang gliding and paragliding are INHERENTLY DANGEROUS activities. USHPA recommends pilots complete a pilot training program under the direct supervision of a USHPA-certified instructor, using safe equipment suitable for your level of

ON THE COVER, Cranking in the French Alps | photo by Jerome Maupoint. MEANWHILE, Luke

Waters tows up Bart Weghorst for a tandem flight over Alpine, Wyoming | photo by Crissy Waters.

experience. Many of the articles and photographs in the magazine depict advanced maneuvers being performed by experienced, or expert, pilots. These maneuvers should not be attempted without the prerequisite instruction and experience.

HANG GLIDING & PARAGLIDING magazine is published for foot-

ADVERTISING ALL ADVERTISING AND ADVERTISING INQUIRIES MUST BE

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.

SENT TO USHPA HEADQUARTERS IN COLORADO SPRINGS. All advertising is subject to the USHPA Advertising Policy, a copy of which may be obtained from the USHPA by emailing advertising@ushpa.aero.

SUBMISSIONS HANG GLIDING & PARAGLIDING magazine welcomes

HANG GLIDING & PARAGLIDING (ISSN 1543-5989) (USPS 17970) is

editorial submissions from our members and readers. All submissions of articles, artwork, photographs and or ideas for articles, artwork and photographs are made pursuant to and are subject to the USHPA Contributor's Agreement, a copy of which can be obtained from the USHPA by emailing the editor at editor@ushpa.aero or online at www.ushpa. aero. HANG GLIDING & PARAGLIDING magazine reserves the right to edit all contributions. We are always looking for well written articles and quality artwork. Feature stories generally run anywhere from 1500 to 3000 words. 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. 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, (516) 816-1333.

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:

Martin Palmaz, Publisher executivedirector@ushpa.aero Nick Greece, Editor editor@ushpa.aero Greg Gillam, Art Director art.director@ushpa.aero

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

C.J. Sturtevant, Copy Editor copy@ushpa.aero

COPYRIGHT Copyright (c) 2013 United States Hang Gliding and Paragliding Association, Inc., All Rights Reserved; no part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording, or otherwise without prior written permission of the United States Hang Gliding and Paragliding Association, Inc.

Staff Writers Steve Messman, Dennis Pagen Christina Ammon, Ryan Voight, C.J. Sturtevant

Terry Rank, Advertising advertising@ushpa.aero

Staff Photographers John Heiney, Jeff Shapiro

BRIEFINGS

CENTERFOLD

AIRMAIL

RATINGS

CALENDAR

CLASSIFIED

USHPA STORE

ON GLIDE

MAY2013

EDITOR

Focused on Safety Is it Worth the Risk? ��by Lisa Verzella

Foreign Soaring In the Summertime �� by C. J. Sturtevant

FEATURE | Tater Hill Competition Reflections . . . . . . . . . . . . . . by Kari Castle & Bubba Goodman

FEATURE | Down Under All The Way World Championship ��by Claudia Mejia

FEATURE | A Kite in the Crowd D.C. Festival �� by Matthew Graham

Acro Revolution It's in the Data ��by Andy Pag

No Rack, No Problem Sidesling It ��by Tom Webster

The Wills Wing Experience

500 West Blueridge Ave . Orange, CA 92865 . 1.714.998.6359 . WillsWing.com

Photo by Jerome Maupoint

HANG GLIDING & PARAGLIDING MAGAZINE

EDITOR For once you have tasted free flight…

f it gets in your veins—foot-launched powerless flight, that is—your perception changes. It is not just skywards where a pilot will gaze. A pilot with years of experience still gazes upon empty fields, for example, casually taking in what a nice landing zone it might make, even if the aforementioned pilot is on an island with a maximum elevation of 17 feet in the middle of the Atlantic. A new understanding and appreciation for clouds, and the beauty of all their shapes and properties is forever realized. One might even go so far as to “hold it in” on long road trips in preparation for long cross-country flights with no restroom opportunities. Rising currents of air are finally grasped and allocated their proper name—thermals. Birds climbing without flapping are respectfully marveled at with a true understanding. Looking for particular in-flight snacks that only take one hand to eat. Identifying the best gloves for various altitudes, or the water-delivery system that doesn’t leak. It’s a game changer, and once you have tasted free flight, perceptions of the world you live in change. One of our primary goals at USHPA is to ensure the future of the sports. In order to do this we need to grow. The last issue of Hang Gliding & Paragliding magazine, April, is oriented to people who might be interested in getting into free flight, and those who have just completed their novice training. If you want to share this perspective-shifting experience with someone you know, the April issue is a great place to start. Moreover, USHPA will ship you free copies of this piece upon request. Contact the office if you would like extra copies for an event, or to give to friends! The May issue returns to the standard page count; however, it is packed with great content. Andy Pag reports from Nepal on the newest innovation in aerobatic paragliding—the acro robot. Turn on, tune out, and fall from the sky in configurations you never thought possible. Lisa Verzella crafted a piece to really get to the bottom of a question we hear so often—Is it dangerous? Tom Webster is back with a piece about building a rack, and Claudia Mejia reports back from the Hang Gliding World Championships where the US team firmly grabbed a second place finish! If you are looking to head out on a flying holiday this summer, staff writer extraordinaire, C.J. Sturtevant, reports on where to go worldwide that still has a lot of space for everyone. Hopefully as the bulk of the membership returns to the sky this spring everyone’s focus will be first and foremost on safety, and then on creating amazing tales to tell around USHPA’s campfire—the USHPA magazine!

HANG GLIDING & PARAGLIDING MAGAZINE

BRIEFINGS

PILOT



 777 Rook

and the curious from all four corners

777glider’s Rook is now available in

of the earth who live or long for the

sizes S, M and L, certified in the EN-B

dream of Icarus. For more informa-

category . The Rook is equipped with

tion, go to www.coupe-icare.org.

reinforced leading edge, shark nose, and low induced-drag wing tips. It’s

EUREKA DUNES OFF LIMITS TO FLYING

the Valic brothers first production

by Kari Castle

glider. The Rook is also available in a light version. For more information go to www.777gliders.com .

 SKYWALK'S CHILI3 Skywalk announced that their CHILI3 is now certified in sizes L and XS, in EN/LTF-B certification The weight range of the CHILI3-L is 100-130kg,



and the XS is certified at 70-90kg. For more information go to www.skywalk. info.

 COUPE ICARE HITS 40!

of the Death Valley National Park

next edition from September 19-22 at

in 1994. It was then that the rules

Saint-Hilaire-du-Touvet/Lumbin, 30

changed for pilots and I was unaware

minutes from Grenoble, France, in the

of it. end of the valley, there are signs in

of the 40th anniversary of this great

the parking/camping area at the

Over the years, the Coupe Icare has become the world’s biggest international gathering for paragliders,

north end of the dunes that indicate that you are within Death Valley National Park. The NPS has been tasked by

hang gliders and ultralight air sports,

Congress to preserve the land under

and is one of the major happenings in

its purview in as natural a state as

the entire Rhône-Alpes region. For four continuous decades, the

HANG GLIDING & PARAGLIDING MAGAZINE

In addition to the sign at the north

to pull out all the stops in celebration event.

Eureka Sand Dunes became part

The famous Coupe Icare will hold its

Isère. This year the organizers intend



On January 2, 2012 I flew off the top of the Eureka Sand Dunes and landed close to the bottom. I packed up my wing and left it there while I hiked back up to the top to meet my friends who were hiking down. When I got back to where I left my wing, I found it was missing. When we got back to the parking area I found not only my wing but a Park Service ranger waiting for me. He issued me a ticket then and there for “delivering goods into the National Park in a nonemergency situation.”

is practical while still allowing for compatible forms of recreation by

Coupe has surpassed all expecta-

visitors. When it comes to Death

tions as the most fun, entertaining,

Valley National Park, the NPS has the

inspiring gathering for the passionate

added burden of maintaining wilder-

ness values in accordance with the

send your equipment to them. They

Wilderness Act of 1964. In 1983, the

claim that this is over $1000 worth of

Congress determined that, among

service for $400.

certain other outdoor recreation activities (such as hunting, driving ATVs,

Additional benefits: If you sell your equipment within

etc.), aerial delivery of people or

those three years, this plan is com-

objects within a National Park Service

pletely transferrable to another party.

area was not compatible with these

When you do sell your equipment,

mandates. Prior to becoming a part

your resale value will be higher than

of Death Valley National Park, the

gear that has not had this mainte-

Eureka Dunes were administered by

nance plan—the customer will know it

the Bureau of Land Management as

has been well taken care of!

a non-wilderness area. As such, hang

For more information please

gliding and paragliding would not

contact Super Fly at info@superflyinc.

have been prohibited. However, such

com or 801-255-9595.

activity is no longer allowed (and hasn’t been for the past 18 years). We are legally allowed to fly hang

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HANG GLIDING & PARAGLIDING MAGAZINE

SPRING 2013 USHPA BOARD MEETING SUMMARY by USHPA HQ

he USHPA Board of Directors Meeting was held at the home of the US Hang Gliding & Paragliding Association headquarters in Colorado Springs, Colorado, as is usual for spring meetings. Here are some of the highlights of that meeting: The Chapter committee changed the requirement for all officers to be current USHPA members to 60 percent of the officers, a change from the 100 percent figure from the spring 2012 meeting. In addition, all officers who are active pilots must be current USHPA members. Failure to meet these requirements will result in renewals/chapter status not being approved. The committee also determined that chapters also need a safety coordinator; this coordinator does not have to be a club officer. And when signing the risk management affidavit, the safety coordinator is acknowledging that the chapter has a current USHPA Risk Assessment and Mitigation Plan on file. For more information, please contact the program manager at programs@ ushpa.aero The Competition committee says farewell to a developer of competition strategy in the retiring chair, Mike Haley. The committee revised the Accuracy Spot Landing Competition Rulebook language to fix errors & clarify concepts. A new document named “USHPA Emergency Response Guidelines” was created to assist competition staff in preparing for and dealing with emergency rescue situations and will soon be distributed to meet directors. The committee approved changing the US National Team selection process (NTSS) from a 2-year cycle to a 3-year cycle, to allow Canadian and Mexican meets to count

HANG GLIDING & PARAGLIDING MAGAZINE

equally with a US meet, and to allow invitational meets that require qualification by an objective process to count towards the selection process. Bill Hughes is heading up the Competition committee immediately and welcomes your comments and questions. The Elections committee determined to merge foreign regions into existing ones, thus removing a need for thirteen regions. Canadian members will now vote for regional director in Region 5, and all other foreign-resident members will vote in Region 6. The Insurance committee reviewed minor language changes to the USHPA waiver that will apply to new and renewing members effective immediately. You can find this new waiver electronically on the website’s Member Section or in PDF format to print and send to the USHPA office. The Membership & Communications (formerly “& Development”) was combined with Publications. Brochures will be included with the New Pilot Edition in April to instructors and chapters. In some cases, shipping costs may apply. Contact USHPA to get your complimentary copies at 800-616-6888. The committee is prioritizing the website redevelopment for the Fall 2013 board meeting for final approval. And the Film Festival-in-a-Box will launch this spring with a series of flying films traveling around the US (at M&C’s final recommendation) to chapters and events. This process is targeted for National Hang Gliding & Paragliding Day weekend, which is Memorial Day weekend. A series of outreach and development initiatives for instructors will begin in the upcoming months to support best practices through free re-

sources, modules/webinars, staff-driven technology, and other avenues. The National Coordinating committee had no recommendations requiring action by the board, but recommended that the Safety and Training committee provide additional emphasis on collision avoidance and recognizing potential high traffic area that can be identified on current sectional charts and other air navigation documents. The committee suggests that the Towing committee consider recommending that groundtowing operations that will exceed 1000 feet AGL document their location and approximate time of operations by creating a NOTAM or arranging to have their operation identified by the HG/PG symbol on sectionals. The committee noted that it is expected that the NPRM for the rules governing unmanned aircraft under 55 pounds will be released sometime this summer. Very close attention must be maintained concerning several potential issues within FAA regulations. The Publications committee is now combined with Membership & Communications. The committee commends Nick, Greg, Terry, and all of the magazine staff for a great job following up their changes in print quality by bringing in superb content. The April issue of Hang Gliding & Paragliding magazine is a 76-page “new pilot” Issue meant to be read by the membership and then distributed to new pilots and/or people interested in our sport. It has content for the regular member, but has additional material oriented toward those new or about-to-be pilots. USHPA has printed additional magazines to distribute to instructors and chapters and at events with potential target audiences. 2012 and the first part of 2013 have been great for exposure in the

national media, with The New York Times, Good Morning America, ABC Nightline, and magazines such as National Geographic being only a few of the stellar projects brought to USHPA by Nick Greece. The Foundation for Free Flight’s ad space in HG&PG magazine increased to 8 full pages per year, to be used at their discretion. The Safety & Training committee after returning from the Speed Flying sub-committee meeting created major speed flying changes including the name change to mini-wing, the rating requirement changed from P-0 to P-2 for any mini-wing special skills (this item is pending review). There were two mini-wing administrators confirmed: Steve Mayer and Mike Steen. The Observer program remains unchanged. The USHPA HQ is tasked with investigating digital waivers and will report back to the Safety & Training committee. The SOP 12-05 was changed by removing “without recourse” to now read: “A Director may rescind any appointment he/she has made without cause.” An appeal process is available whereas it was not previously. The Accident Review Board is no longer a subcommittee of Safety & Training. It becomes the Accident Review committee and is now recognized as a standing USHPA committee. The committee is finalizing an amended accident-reporting SOP and a new online accident reporting system. The Site committee is working on over eight site redevelopments and in some cases sites such as the Point of the Mountain are at risk of loss. The committee is updating resources for the site management manual as well as bringing in more volunteers to support efforts to keep our flying sites healthy. The Strategic Planning committee has adopted a new strategic plan model that will eventually supersede the

former 2005 strategic plan document in a more concise format and with fewer addendums, and with a new organizational missios statement. “USHPA’s mission is to ensure the future of free flight.” Other changes include the methods for fulfilling this mission. Please see the Hang Gliding & Paragliding magazine article (by James Bradley) for updates to this Strategic Plan which is a “living document” and “work-in-progress.. The Tandem Committee changed SOP-12-02 hang gliding tandems, to state the COMBINATION of both hang loops must be 8000 lbs. strength. Replacing an 8000lb.-test main hang loop rule that was in place. Also, two new PG Tandem administrators were appointed, Nick Crane and Jason Shapiro. The Towing Committee recommended the appointment of Brad Hill as a Surface Tow Supervisor. Based on towing incidents over the laste12 months the following advisories were produced by the Committee: 1) operate within area of expertise; 2) the Spotter is to maintain visual contact with the glider being towed at all times; 3) Operators must have proper credentials for operations; 4) set proper line tensions for aircraft being towed. The Chair will submit an article for the “Towlines” section of the magazine, reiterating past safety advisories and the importance of following safety procedures during operations. Committees not listed did not have recommendations for the Board or did not meet. To contact a Committee Chairman, please visit the Members Only section of our website and click on Board of Directors for the contact listing. Additional questions should be directed to USHPA staff at (800) 6166888.

Martin Palmaz, Executive Director executivedirector@ushpa.aero Jeff Mosher, Program Manager programs@ushpa.aero Robin Jones, Communications Manager communications@ushpa.aero Eric Mead, System Administrator tech@ushpa.aero Beth Van Eaton, Membership Services membership@ushpa.aero Terry Rank, Office Coordinator office@ushpa.aero

USHPA OFFICERS & EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE Rich Hass, President president@ushpa.aero Ken Grubbs, Vice President vicepresident@ushpa.aero Bill Bolosky, Secretary secretary@ushpa.aero Mark Forbes, Treasurer treasurer@ushpa.aero

REGION 1: Rich Hass, Mark Forbes. REGION 2: Jugdeep Aggarwal, Josh Cohn, Pat Hajek. REGION 3: Corey Caffrey, Dan DeWeese, Rob Sporrer. REGION 4: Ryan Voight, Ken Grubbs. REGION 5: Donald Lepinsky. REGION 6: David Glover. REGION 7: Paul Olson. REGION 8: Michael Holmes. REGION 9: Felipe Amunategui, Dan Tomlinson. REGION 10: Bruce Weaver, Steve Kroop, Matt Taber. REGION 11: David Glover. REGION 12: Paul Voight. REGION 13: TBD. DIRECTORS AT LARGE: Dave Broyles, Bill Bolosky, Steve Rodrigues, Dennis Pagen, Jamie Shelden. EX-OFFICIO DIRECTOR: Art Greenfield (NAA). The United States Hang Gliding and Paragliding Association Inc. (USHPA) 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. 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.

by Lisa Verzella

FOCUSED ON SAFETY

Photo by Lisa Verzella

IS FLYING WORTH THE RISK? “you hand glide? That is SO dangerous!” Well, I suppose that would be true if I kept my hand out of the car window while going 65 mph past an oncoming truck, or some similar scenario. If I had a nickel for every time I heard the above quote, I could add a new carbon T2C 136 to my topless-glider collection. My usual retort is, “It’s much safer than driving on the highway!” But I seldom have had any statistics on hand to support that statement, just years of experience driving in Utah. But while recently Googling such stats, I came across a 2006 study from

HANG GLIDING & PARAGLIDING MAGAZINE

Bandolier, an independent journal about evidence-based healthcare, written by Oxford scientists. It offers a surprising take on the risk of dying during sporting activities: The risk of dying associated with sporting activities may be lower than you expect, even when skydiving or hang gliding. (See http://www.medicine.ox.ac.uk/ bandolier/booth/risk/sports.html for reference sources and full data.)

Do you feel lucky, punk? As intrepid adventurers in an invis-

ible medium, we often find ourselves entertaining this very thought, if only for a brief, instinctual moment of selfpreservation. Hopefully our safety depends on more than luck. But what factors are involved in an outcome that enables us to maintain our tenuous connection to mortality? What marks the boundary between bold fun and risk, or, in other words, bravery and stupidity? Having been a cross-country hang glider pilot for more than 20 years, I have bounced precipitously back and forth across that line, with the odds fortunately remaining, for the most part, on my side. I have launched in air too strong for my wing loading,

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flown in turbulence too intense for my comfort zone, and landed in restricted fields too tight for how current I was at the time. I have managed, again, for the most part, to pull it off. So why bother with all the introspection? Why not maintain status quo and trust that I will continue to survive future miscalculations with similar grace and aplomb? In short, it’s because too many members of my flying family have died or suffered painful, lifealtering injury. Several times I’ve questioned my own motivation to fly after such incidents, coming close to giving up the sport. But I love to fly. It’s not only IN my blood; it actually FEELS like my blood. During one of these periods of questioning, I saw the movie 127 Hours, the inspiring film made from Aron Ralston’s book of his struggle to

509.886.4605 survive a misadventure. It struck me (SPOILER ALERT) that Aron would have greatly improved his chances of retaining his limb had he done a few minor tasks before heading out. If he had made someone aware of his trip plans, brought a cell phone or signal mirror, or taken a partner along, his odds of a better outcome would have been dramatically increased. In the early years of both hang gliding and paragliding, respectively, equipment played a large role in accidents. Then, with emerging technology resulting in safer crafts, the bulk of the blame shifted away from the wing and became more attributed to pilot error. To reduce our risk of injury or death, we must delve more deeply into the human factor. Several important resources are available for higher-risk sports, such as ours, including studies which have

been shown to help reduce accidents. One such source is the work done by noted snow scientist Ian McCammon, including his study, “Human Factors in Avalanche Accidents: Evolution and Interventions,” and his creative avalanche safety acronym FACETS. Both of these offer the kind of quantitative risk reduction concepts that can be applied directly to hang gliding and paragliding. Ian’s paper discusses several human behavioral models that can be used as “intervention strategies,” as he puts it, in an attempt to reduce avalanche accidents. The Bad Apple model refers to the personality type many of us have encountered—the pilot who has an apparent disregard for safety. He ignores the danger in launching with building cu-nims nearby, flying a paraglider in turbulent air with few hours

HANG GLIDING & PARAGLIDING MAGAZINE

“To reduce our risk of injury or death, we must delve more deeply into the human factor. ” and no maneuvers clinic, landing a brand-new-hot topless hang glider in a restricted field after just having moved up from a kingpost glider—all easily avoidable high-risk scenarios. The Informed Deliberator model assumes that mishaps occur due to factors beyond the knowledge of the victim. This concept offers optimism that accidents can be avoided by increased awareness or learning. Examples of such attainable knowledge include recognizing potential areas of rotor, understanding how sink affects your glide to the landing field, and safe use of a speed system in turbulent air or strong winds. The Introspection model discusses the process of “pre-think,” becoming familiar with one’s own tendencies that involve potential weaknesses or judgment lapses that may override good decision-making. If a pilot is aware that flying with his instructor nearby makes him nervous or anxious, he can choose to fly another site, have a talk with the instructor, or meditate before launch. A pilot who realizes that she often just goes with the group decision of where or when to fly, or whether or not to launch, can and should research where the best flying is for her that day. The Bounded Deliberator model suggests that our limited capacity to gather and process boundless information can be assisted by objective procedures. Such aids include concept

HANG GLIDING & PARAGLIDING MAGAZINE

acronyms such as FACETS (see below), mnemonic devices, such as creating a word to remember the Great Lakes (Super Man Helps Every One) or a song like “The rib bone’s connected to the …arm bone,” and countless other learning techniques that enable information retention. The launching aid R-1-2-3-4 STARVE used by Super Fly Paragliding School is such a procedure, designed to minimize the student’s risk before leaving the ground. A drawback to this concept is the short-cut potential it offers, which can dull the pilot’s situational awareness or lead to complacency. He/she must remain aware of the big picture as well. While he was futzing around with twisted lines at launch, did the gust factor change? While intently scratching for lift the past half-hour, did she notice the virga dropping from that cloud in front of launch? The final model focuses specifically on that pivotal survival factor: situational awareness. This Bounded Vigilance model assumes that paying close attention to a few carefully chosen cues will enable us to attain a higher level of awareness, thus reducing our risk. Careful attention to changing weather conditions is critical to a safe cross-country flight. (See my article, “When Good Weather Goes Bad,” in the May 2009 issue of Hang Gliding & Paragliding magazine) McCammon’s avalanche acronym FACETS conveys several general concepts that can be directly related to risk awareness during a flying outing. These concepts bring to light the interplay of ego, emotions and herdmentality embedded in many group recreational activities. The descriptions of each factor are slightly paraphrased to incorporate the sport of free flight. F- Familiar Terrain: People take more risks in terrain they have visited

before. Conditions constantly change. Treat the launch, course and landing zone as if it’s the first time you’ve been there. A – Acceptance: Be aware of seeking approval from friends, instructors, fellow pilots, drivers and the onlooking crowd. Launch when and if it feels right to you; avoid adopting others’ risk assessments as your own. You can always go back down with the driver (or earn serious karma points by taking the truck down and avoiding a long car shuttle for the group), returning another time. C – Commitment: “I’m gonna make goal (200 miles, Scatahoochie, etc.) even if it kills me.” Seriously? Though seldom spoken, this mentality runs rampant during competition at many levels. When we have an overwhelming commitment to a goal or belief, we tend to block out our judgment and focus on things that will help us achieve our goal. E – Expert Halo: Your site guide may not know best. Whether a local or someone who has flown the area before, her or his assessment may not be aligned with your own. While flying with others (as opposed to solo) is itself a huge risk-reducer, and flying with experienced local pilots is practically mandatory for your first time at a site, the resident expert can only offer a portion of the risk-assessment pie. Your own judgment remains a critical piece. T – Tracks: This factor applies to the need for fresh tracks and the hazard of raising the risk to get them. A related case would be pioneering a launch or para-hiking to find that optimal site for the biggest air and/or the longest XC. S – Social Proof: Avoid the herd instinct, or group-think. Speak up if you need to; assess the situation as if

Mosquito Power Harness you were flying alone (with a driver, of course). To offset peer pressure, pilots can and should pre-determine what their limits are for launch/flight/landing criteria for that particular site on that particular day. Several more excellent resources, books, and articles are available to help keep us safe in the air. Previous articles in USHPA’s HG & PG magazine offer numerous safety topic discussions by expert pilots Dennis Pagen and Ryan Voight. USHPA’s website highlights several articles on risk management (http://www.ushpa.aero). Veteran hang glider pilot Michael Robertson’s masterwork, The Art of Skysailing: a Risk Management Manual for Hang Gliding and Paragliding, was originally written in 1979 and is just as pertinent today in its 2010 revision. Resources from other sporting activities are abundant and very translatable, such as the book The Rock Warrior’s Way by Arno Ilgner. By addressing these human factors, maintaining our equipment and staying current, we can readily manage the risks inherent in our amazing sport. Compare notes with other pilots; you’ll find an audience eager to share its knowledge, experience and countless “There I was…” encounters, all of which contribute to keeping us alive in the skies, for there we have been and there we will long to return.

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www.mosquitoamerica.com Traverse City Hang Gliders/Paragliders Bill Fifer • Traverse City, MI 231-922-2844 phone/fax • tchangglider@chartermi.net Pilot: Paul Farina Photo: Greg Dewenter

Lisa Verzella has been on the US Women's World Hang Gliding team twice, is a 4-time winner of the Utah Cup for farthest flight and has been flying cross country for more than 20 years. She is a meteorologist with the National Weather Service in Salt Lake City and has written several articles about weather and XC safety for this magazine.

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Foreign Soaring

in the Summertime by C.J. Sturtevant

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eorge and I discovered hang gliding back in 1982. We were both middle-school teachers, and come July we’d toss all our toys on and in the car and connect with pilot friends around the country, making their favorite sites our road-trip destinations. Then, in 1989, we joined a group of Seattle-area hang gliding pilots on a trip to France and Switzerland, and our perspective on the ideal flying vacation was forever altered. It comes with the territory on this side of the Atlantic: Summer vacations to Europe’s best flying sites are pricey, far beyond our budget most years. And when we did manage a trip, it always seemed that —surprise!—the primo sites were crowded with European pilots and other Americans who shared our view of where the best flying was happening. Eventually we solved the timing issue by retiring from teaching—now we can travel in late August and

September, which is still prime flying season in the Alps, but most of the tourists have packed up and gone home. And to satisfy those cravings for summer soaring in Europe, we’ve discovered some really fabulous flying areas that, for one reason or another, haven’t caught on with the mainstream traveling pilots. I may be shooting myself in the foot by revealing this, but here are three relatively uncrowded European flying destinations, and one on our side of the pond that ranks right up there with our Alpine favorites. Slovenia Dennis Pagen planted the seed for a Slovenia trip in our minds many years ago, back when we were hang glideronly pilots. It wasn’t until 2008 that we finally got it together, joining a group LEFT Jamie Messenger over Neuschwanstein Castle in Fuessen, Germany | photo by Nick Greece. ABOVE The

hike to Vogar, Slovenia, was short and mostly level | photo by George Sturtevant.

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of northwest paraglider pilots on a midsummer trip led by Steve Roti. Located at the SE end of the Alps, Slovenia has terrain and scenery comparable to the better-known French and Swiss Alps, with advantages of a milder climate and (except during competitions) minimal crowds. For both hang glider and paraglider pilots, the country offers a huge variety of flying opportunities ranging from mellow ridge soaring to challenging border-crossing XCs. Paraglidingearth.com pinpoints an incredible 62 flying sites in this tiny country! Our 2008 vacation in Slovenia ABOVE White limestone walls surrounding bright green fields at Kovk | photo by Ernie Friesen. RIGHT Vintgar Gorge, on our one no-fly day | photo by C.J. Sturtevant. OPPOSITE LEFT Gotta love the signs in Slovenia. RIGHT Starting from Tolmin, our turn-around point is the highest peak on the horizon. Photos by George Sturtevant.

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spanned 10 days in late August, with xTc Paragliding as our guides. Our home base was in a little town on Lake Bohinj, with several launches visible from our apartment hotel and the LZ just an easy walk across a meadow.

Every day but one was flyable, most were soarable, all were spectacularly scenic. My logbook lists flights at Gozd, Tolmin/Kobala, Kovk, Vogar, Vogel, Gerlitzen (in Austria), and Lijak. We didnâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t fly at Sorica, from which

many distance records are set. Best time to go: May through August; Sorica turns on even earlier, in March or April Skill level: Novices can fly even the thermally XC sites early in the day. Launch access: Most are drive-up, some with a hike from parking to launch. I’m not a hiker, and I managed to get myself and gear to launch without too much trauma. Vogel and Gerlitzen (in Austria) are gondolaaccessed. Lodging: Stay where the flying is: near Lake Bohinj, or in Tolmin. Family/no-fly day activities: This is the Alps, with the usual assortment of hiking trails and destinations. We spent our one non-flying day at Vintgar Gorge, a spectacular walk in a narrow canyon, along a trail and wooden walkways hugging the cliffs right above the raging Sava River. Triglav National Park, with Slovenia’s highest peak (Mount Triglav at almost 10,000 feet) offers hiking and climbing for both serious and recreational mountain-types. Touristing around the countryside is pretty cool in itself, especially with a guidebook that explains things like the odd-looking hay racks and the painted bee skeps. History and culture buffs won’t want to miss the World War I museum in Kobarid, and the numerous

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HANG GLIDERS  ULTRALIGHT TRIKES & WINGS ultrikes@northwing.com 509.886.4605 castles and archeological sites throughout the country. Do-it-yourself vs. organized trip:

Most sites are easy to find and accessible; having a driver helps. Even though Slovenia is a small country, getting from one valley to another by car can be tricky and time-consuming, and our guides typically opted for the

more-direct auto train that tunnels through the mountains. Weather in the Alps is notoriously complex, but having a local contact adept at sorting through the meteo and selecting the appropriate site for the day’s conditions saves a lot of driving around and missed opportunities. Know before you go: According to

the Slovenian Free Flight Association (http://www.sffa.org/en/index.php/ flying-rules), an IPPI card, available through USHPA, is required at many sites. Useful websites: The guidebook Paragliding & Hang Gliding Handbook: The Best Flying Sitesâ&#x20AC;&#x201D;Slovenia is available from http://www.bigopensky.com/. TOP LEFT Scenic soaring at Sillian. Photo by C.J. Sturtevant. BOTTOM LEFT Launch at Obertilliach. RIGHT The lift up to Obertilliach launch. Photos by George Sturtevant OPPOSITE The Tegelberg launch | photo by Nick Greece.

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You can view and download guides, including a detailed map, description and points of interest for a small fee to your iPhone or Android at http://www. everytrail.com/browse.php?activity_ id=19&country=SLOVENIA. http://www.sffa.org/en/index.php/ takeoff-places has a nifty chart showing the most popular sites, the wind direction required, and a phone number for the weather station if there is one at that site. Our favorite flights: With high expectations for some serious XC, our group launched from the world-famous

Kobala take-off near Tolmin, got up high above launch and flew (with occasional low scratching) from ridge to ridge above the sparkling emeraldgreen SoÄ?a River to a turnpoint at Stol Peak, about 16 miles from Kobala. George and I made it back most of the way to the Tolmin LZ, landing together in a small field near the river; others completed the out-and-return, or landed in the numerous fields along the river. On a day when Kobala was clearly not an option, our xTc guides decided that the Kovk (pronounced like

coke) ridge would be a reasonable bet. Soaring (ridge and thermals) along the six miles of vertical limestone walls in the late afternoon sunlight, looking down on a mix of forest and meadows delineated by white stone walls, was another highlight of this trip. Austria George and I tend to choose new destinations for our flying vacations, but Austria is an exception; we’ve returned to this lovely alpine country on four different trips since I flew my hang glider in the Women’s World Championships in 1991. On that trip all launches were from the Unterberghorn in Kössen, with XC tasks into several other valleys. On a later vacation we returned to Kössen with our paragliders and ventured out to numerous sites, all an easy day-trip

from our B&B in Kössen. An Austrian hang gliding friend turned us on to the flying near Tannheim, another good base for day trips to numerous sites both in the Tannheim valley and over-the-back XCs to adjacent valleys. After our Slovenia trip, George and I continued on to Austria, where we met some German pilots who suggested Sillian as the best option for escaping the deteriorating weather. Always up for new sites, we tagged along and enjoyed three days of low-cloudbase soaring in the town of Sillian and at Obertilliach. Best time to go: Late spring through early fall, depending on snowpack Launch access: Most via lift/cable car, many of which carry hang gliders Lodging: every town has an assortment of B&Bs to suit every budget,

RIGHT Mike getting ready for a morning tandem from Savoleyres, Verbier below. OPPOSITE C.J. enjoying

fabulous views of the Alps. Photos courtesy Verbier Summits

how to get to launch via lifts and trails. Many of the sites are flown by hang gliders as well. Our favorite Austrian sites:

many within walking distance of the lifts to launch and the LZs. Family/no-fly day activities: This is the Alps! Uncountable options for outdoor activities, plus lots of historic and cultural sites well worth exploring. The city of Salzburg, a short distance from Kössen, is worthy of a visit, even if you’re not a Sound of Music fan. Do-it-yourself vs. organized trip:

It’s easy to manage a multi-site trip on your own, but as always be aware of the complex weather patterns in the Alps. Know before you go: You may need to show your IPPI card at some sites. Useful websites: A map and list of local schools and clubs: http://www. tyrol.com/en/paragliding-773785 and http://www.tyrol.com/en/hang-gliding. For paraglider pilots, http://www. zillertaler-flugschule.com/flying-inzillertal.html, has photos, facing direction for launches, and descriptions of

Neunerkopfl, Unterberghorn (can be somewhat congested, but a great start for XC attempts), Wildkogel, Obertilliach. Google has more info than you’ll be able to digest on most of these sites. And while you’re in the Kössen area, consider taking an easy day trip to Tegelberg and mad King Ludwig’s Neuschwanstein castle—even (or maybe especially) if you’ve been to Disneyland a million times, it’s amazing-cool to soar over the towers of this real-life Sleeping Beauty’s castle. The non-flying members of your group can experience royal opulence with a tour of the castle interior while you check it out from above. This popular biwingual flying site is often crowded, but the experience is worth waiting in line to launch.

Verbier, Switzerland Tripadvisor.com describes Verbier as “not the most charming Swiss town”—I disagree, but perhaps that’s an explanation for why the hang gliding and paragliding sites surrounding Verbier are nowhere near as crowded as elsewhere in the Swiss Alps. But even if the town falls short of typical picturepostcard Switzerland, the surrounding mountains, and the scenery from the air, are every bit as breathtaking as a visiting free-flyer could desire. During

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our July week in Verbier we stayed at a stunning chalet, dined outdoors surrounded by wildflowers and glaciers, and flew—soaring flights—at least twice every day. Most mornings we’d start at Savoleyres, a flower-studded grassy slope that faces south, into the earlymorning breeze. Our guides from Verbier Summits use this site for tandems and student sledders, but with persistence our group of experienced pilots managed to extend our flights to an hour or so every time. Admittedly, our scenic views from Savoleyres were mainly close-ups of rocks and trees and farmers raking and stacking hay in the hillside fields, but there was a great feeling of accomplishment in hanging on to those few hundred feet of terrain clearance and taking the scenic route to the Montagnier LZ, near a small chapel just south of town. Savoleyres is a long drive-up site with a short, level hike in to launch,

and works for both hangs who can handle the carry, and paras. For mid-day thermal soaring and XC flying, most days we’d head up to Les Ruinettes,. On these mid-day flights we’d land at the Champsec LZ, farther up the valley from the Montagnier LZ, which becomes dicey due to valley winds as the day progresses. Croix de Coeur is mainly an evening ridge-soaring site but also a thermal/XC site when the wind is from the southwest. It’s a drive-up launch, and evening flights typically end at an LZ above the golf course at the base of the bowl. Although we weren’t granted the high cloudbase and sky-out conditions that can make Verbier a premier XC starting point, every flight in this lovely valley was a winner. Best time to go: Spring (depending on snowpack) through early fall Skill level: Beginner to XC guru,

depending on time of day and site Family/no-fly day activities: The usual Alpine menu: hiking, mountain biking, horseback riding; in town, there’s a golf course, numerous museOPPOSITE Jamie Messenger landing in Garmisch, Germany. ABOVE Retrieve from Garmish is very

civilized. Photos by Nick Greece.

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ums and galleries, artisan shops, Swiss pastries and chocolates… Do-it-yourself vs. organized/guided trip: Self-guided

works OK if you have a driver; otherwise, retrieving a vehicle from launch can be time-consuming (an exception for paraglider pilots being the launch from Les Ruinettes and the Montagnier LZ, both of which are within a short walk from the cablecar terminus). Verbier Summits offers outstanding all-inclusive weeklong tours at a reasonable price. As always in mountainous terrain, it’s a good idea to have a local contact for weather information, as conditions change rapidly. Our favorite flights: On an afternoon XC flight from Croix de Coeur, we passed high over Les Ruinettes launch and followed the ridge to the end of the valley before crossing to the glacier below Gr. Combin and heading back west to land in the Champsec LZ. Circumnavigating the valley, and cruising by the snout of a glacier in a hanging valley, right at eye level, was an amazing experience.

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Pemberton, BC George and I live near Seattle, so a flying vacation in British Columbia is an easy road trip. Still, it’s foreign soaring, with a passport required and Alpine-quality mountain scenery, so I’m keeping it on my short list. As can be expected in the Pacific Northwest, BC’s weather tends to be soggy and unpredictable for most of the year, with all-too-brief summer windows of exceptional flying. On two previous trips we’d managed a flight from the lower Pemberton launch, but cloudbase never rose above the top of the (reputed) peaks, and the fabled scenery was nowhere to be seen. Last July, though, we finally scored— a group of us Seattle-area parapilots headed up for a few days of flying just ahead of the Canadian paragliding nationals in August. Finally, we discovered what all the Pemberton hoopla was about! Best time to go: Summer, after the snow on the road to launch has melted Launch & LZ locations: Paraglider pilots usually drive up to 4100 feet,

about six miles on a rough 4x4 road, to the large and grassy Mackenzie launch. Hang gliders typically launch lower (i.e. shorter drive) on the mountain. The designated LZ is in a rather narrow part of the valley, next to the St. Francis Roman Catholic church. Type of soaring: Except for light-day sledders, this is a thermal site; the 22mile out-and-return “milk run” along the ridge is fun and scenic, although some significant bump-tolerance is required. Skill level: Strong intermediate for mid-day flying, with experience in rough air and windy conditions. Novice pilots can enjoy friendly air before the serious thermals and valley winds kick in. Lodging: There are hotels and B&Bs to fit every budget in town and at Whistler/Blackcomb, about 20 minutes away. Family/no-fly day activities: Choose from canoeing/kayaking at nearby lakes, a huge network of trails for hiking and mountain biking, scenic gondola rides at Whistler, and hot springs.

OPPOSITE George above launch. ABOVE Heading out on the “milk run.” Photo by C.J. Sturtevant.

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www.ushgf.org 888-262-4264 P.O. Box 518, Dunlap, CA 93621

For hang pilots only: Check with your chosen airline to be sure they’ll take your short-packed hang glider; some will accept it as baggage if it’s not over the weight limit, some will charge an extra fee, some won’t take hang gliders at all. A trick I learned from Wills Wing decades ago: Purchase corks that fit tightly into the ends of your short-packed leading edges—good protection against minor deformation that could make re-assembly difficult. Once you get to where you’re going, you’ll need a way to carry your glider. If you don’t want to pack the extra “stuff ” needed to create a rack for your rental car, Tom Webster’s article in this issue of the magazine may provide the perfect solution.

We didn’t help build the Henson Gap launch ramp but we can help your club build yours.

This is definitely a do-it-yourself destination; it works best to bring along a few buddies to help mark thermals, and a driver. Know before you go: The huge, inviting fields just below launch are a no-excuses NO LAND zone—a photo/ map on the West Coast Soaring Club’s website provides a from-launch view of these forbidden fields. The valley winds can make landing at the main LZ hazardous by midafternoon, and on many days the winds don’t diminish until after sunset. Better choices are fields out in the wider valley, making sure to avoid the no-land area. Useful websites: The West Coast Soaring Club’s website, http://www. westcoastsoaringclub.com/sites/ pemberton.php, has detailed information on Pemberton and 10 other sites in British Columbia. Our favorite flight: For Pemberton regulars, it’s “only” a milk run (about

22 miles round-trip), but for us visitors, the flight along the range to the NW towards Hurley Pass was challenging, with peaks and rocks and glaciers to rival the European Alps. Most of us returning mid-afternoon chose to land before the valley constricted, in reasonably mellow conditions. Those who opted to continue on to the designated LZ didn’t make their return to terra firma look like a lot of fun.

It only takes one blown launch to close a flying site. We can help.

Do-it-yourself vs. organized trip:

Reflections on the

Tater Hill Competition by Kari Castle with Bubba Goodman 28

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ompetition flying has been a big part of my life. The very first competition I entered was the Wings of Rogallo “Silent Air Show” back in 1983, and I won! I wish I could say I won every event I entered since then—I can’t, but I sure had fun trying. I’ve flown in many competitions around the world since that first. I’ve enjoyed all of them, but most memorable were my early years in competition when the group was small enough to really get to know one another. Each day was full of adventure and discovery into the beautiful world of free flight. We learned from each other: I would see pilots doing things and I followed along in awe, so happy to be part of it. Achieving goal for the first time literally brought tears to my eyes—I still remember that day as if it were yesterday! Making goal is fun and all, but for me, connecting with so many different people is equally special. Bubba Goodman is one of those special ones; I met Bubba back in the early ‘90s. We saw each other at hang gliding competitions around the US, and were often on the same flying team down at the Florida meets. One year he convinced me to visit his local flying site, Tater Hill, since I was heading up that way anyway. We only had a few days to fly, and unfortunately the weather goddess preferred we didn’t get airborne that trip. I knew I had to come back some day, though—the site was spectacular! He started running the Tater Hill Open soon after. A man and his mountain In the mid-’70s, when Bubba started hang gliding, Tater Hill and Grandfather Mountain were the happening places on the East coast. This gorgeous flying area is located in North Carolina’s Smoky Mountains. Pilots were actually being paid to fly at Grandfather Mountain— what pilot wouldn’t want to be part of that?

Jason Williams, an early pioneer in hang gliding, offered to take Bubba for his first flight at Tater Hill and soon after that Bubba was hired as a reserve pilot at Grandfather Mountain, which gave him the freedom to say yes or no to flying on any given day. Because he always wanted to be where it was “on” for flying, and because Tater Hill was “on” more consistently than Grandfather Mountain, Bubba eventually chose Tater as his home site, and moved to the area permanently in the early ‘80s. For years Tater Hill remained a true “free flight” area because the owners of the land lived far away and didn’t mind pilots flying from their property. That was the status quo until the property started changing hands. Bubba was concerned that someday someone might shut them out of flying at Tater, so he started looking into buying the land up on launch. Together with his good friend Mike Isenhour, they approached the owner Kurt Replogle who, along with his family, are special friends to the flying community at Tater Hill. Nine years ago Bubba made the purchase, thus securing the future of flying at Tater Hill. He loves sharing his site with visiting pilots—as long as they follow the rules. He’s called the “Tater Dictator” for a reason! About the event: Not long after buying the property, Bubba decided to run the first Tater Hill Open. He had visions of a huge competition and turning OPPOSITE Rick Wilson and family, owners of LZ1, in front his friends on to one of his favorite flying of HQ. ABOVE Kari Castle. sites! So he sanctioned the first Open with the USHPA. Because of the low attendance that first year, Bubba decided to not sanction the second one just to keep it simpler. And “keep it simple” has been his mantra ever since. Bubba’s idea for the competition was simple fun for pilots of all skill levels, and the format is unique in that it encourages paraglider and hang glider pilots to compete together in the same event. So, the Tater Hill Open is a competition geared towards new as well as experienced competition pilots. It consists of two classes: the sport class for the newer pilots and the competition class for the more experienced pilots who have the skill and desire to push a bit further. Each class is scored using a handicap system that includes wing performance as a factor in calculating the score. This system keeps it fair and interesting for sure; trying to figure out what wing to fly is often the question for many pilots! For the sport class, the tasks are typically within a

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short glide of the launch in either direction, zigzagging all over the valley with goal being in one of the main LZs. This fishbowl format provides a level of security for the newer pilots, knowing they can land in either of the LZs at any time during their flight, but it pushes them to go back and forth more than they would if they were free flying. For the competition class, the course line typically stays close for a while to provide the newer pilots a visual of how to run the course perhaps a bit faster. Then it’s out and away if conditions allow, or just farther away to turn points and then back to one of the main LZs. It’s a lot more fun, for both pilots and spectators, to have both classes landing together at goal! What good is a flying site without an LZ? Landing zones are critical to a flying site. When the Tater pilots lost their main LZ, Bubba went scouting around for another. He noticed a field that was once filled with corn was now planted with hay, so he approached owner Rick Wilson and asked if they could use his land as a primary LZ. Rick pretty much just said, “Sure…OK…no problem.” LZ1, as it’s called, is now the gathering point each morning and evenings after flying. The Wilson

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family seems to love having all the pilots around during the Open, invading their privacy each year. Lucky us! Willie and Diane Dandy used to grow hay in the field

now known as LZ3, but one year they planted grass. Of course Bubba noticed that, so he approached Willie and asked if pilots could land there. The answer was, with typical Southern hospitality: “Sure, why not?”! Again, the rest is history; as those of you who have ever landed in LZ3 know, Willie and Diane are just so sweet as they cheer you on from their gorgeous deck overlooking the LZ or, if you’re lucky like me, come out to greet you with a cold beer.

munity. The Replogle Family is another special part of the Tater Hill community. Not only did Kurt sell Bubba the launch property, Mike and Robin allow camping and host the closing ceremony for the Tater Hill Open at their house near the launch. Katie, their daughter, is like family up on launch each day. Their home is a sweet spot to hang out and celebrate each other, our victories, and life itself! OPPOSITE TOP Flying under

Some more people who make it happen: In the beginning, Bubba’s girlfriend, the beautiful Beth Bergin, jumped on board and helped with everything from the website, to registration, to tee shirts, to retrieval—everything! After a few years of doing this, it was clear she needed some help. Jay and Kim Browder first came to Tater Hill as students in a flying clinic with Luis Rosenkjer. They met Bubba and fell in love with the area on that trip. Rumor has it that Bubba convinced them to buy a house up there. Soon afterward they started volunteering to help with the competition. Jay and Kim took over the computer/website work from Beth and Bubba, and have been instrumental to the success of the Tater Hill Open. These two welcome pilots like myself into their home each year, which is always guaranteed to be FUN! Among other tasks, they answer the never-ending questions that go with such an event and bring the event into the public eye via social media. They are a very welcome addition to the Tater Hill com-

Volunteers make the event possible. Chris Grantham, USHPA’s 2012 Paragliding Instructor of the Year, has been helping Bubba with scoring every year but one. We would be lost without him and his smiling face! Paul Pearson is basically Bubba’s right-hand man, helping with anything from computers and fixing trucks to calling a darn good task each day! David Bradford came to the Tater Hill Open four years ago as a new pilot, to observe and help out if he could. He soon found himself in the perfect position: launch director. He knows how to keep everyone in order and still somehow remain Zen-like—he’s the perfect fit in what can be a stressful position! Jason Williams, who offered Bubba that first flight at Tater Hill, now volunteers as the local weather guru during the Tater Hill Open, and still loves to fly. He’s often the only “hangie” in the comp, but would love more company! A familiar voice on the radio is Jessie, our driver, whose non-stop laughter seems to be contagious.

friendly clouds. BOTTOM Hang gliding at Grandfather Mountain in the early ‘70s. BELOW Bubba's competition and his main sponsors.

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Bubba brought me on board back in 2009 to help run competition seminars and clinics, and I’ve been coming back every year since then to run the “Great Starts With Kari” clinic. There are so many reasons that bring me back each year: the flying (it’s what I call “Kari Air”— sweet air to fly in), the wonderful people with their cute southern drawl and the opportunity for me to share with the flying community. It’s just plain old FUN! Bubba has goods: And Bubba loves giving things away! Each year he calls on businesses like Flytec USA, Atlanta Paragliding, Georgia Paragliding Solutions, Flymaster Avionics, Sport Aviations Publication, Morningside, Brace Mt. and Ellenville Flight Parks, and the many local businesses in the area that happily donate hard goods or cash for Bubba to give away. I’m always amazed at the amount of fun stuff Bubba has to give away thanks to these generous businesses. There are the typical prizes for each class: 1st, 2nd, and 3rd place, plus prizes for the Women’s class (which I love, of course J). But that’s not the end of the awards, as he makes a point to acknowledge each ABOVE Bubba and Beth on and every pilot and volunteer by giving launch. TOP ROW Sport Class away schwag donated by the sponsors. Winners: Nick Melniciuc , Jay It’s a hoot, as they say down south! Browder, Ludmila Frazier. Hang waiting with Bubba and Beth. MIDDLE ROW Jesse the driver

and his “round-up”. Competition Class Winners: Kari Castle, Luis Rosenkjer, Chris Grantham. Gene Hunter. Mike and Lisa Isenhour. Women Winners: Ludmila Frazier, Kari Castle and Kim Browder. BOTTOM ROW Jay and Kim Browder are so “keeyuuut”. Willie and Diane Dandy, owners of LZ3

Let me tell you about the view: A pilot’s-eye view of the scenery at Tater is stunning on any given fly day; it seems like there are always clouds to play with and I love flying around them! The kind you find at Tater Hill are fun, puffy clouds with tons of moisture that would make them look scary if we were out west in the desert, but these clouds

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typically don’t build up as much energy and are friendly. Which doesn’t mean we are not paying attention. When the convergence sets up, if you happen to be in the right place at the right time, be ready for the flight of your life; all I can say is “magical.” Wrapping it up: Bubba is happy with the way the Tater Hill Open is going. He likes running the Open and Sport classes and wants to continue to push each of those just enough to keep everyone interested. He thinks there is so much untapped potential at this site, and sees the Open as a venue to keep exploring and expanding skills. He would love to see more hang gliders enter in the future…he loves seeing everyone play together! When I asked Bubba about his favorite Tater Hill stories, he said it’s hearing pilots talk about their flight off Tater that day and going on to say, “That was one of the most magical flights of my life!” He’s heard that from both new pilots and those with lots of experience, including myself! I personally believe life is about stretching our limits a little in order to grow. I love to watch new competition pilots push themselves to get perhaps their first start gate or turnpoint, and seeing their happiness as they tell me their story. This makes me incredibly happy as well. I guarantee there is a lot to learn from competition, no matter what level pilot you are. Once you’ve mastered the basics of launching, landing, and staying up, you’re ready for your first competition. I tell my students and clients that the best XC clinic you’ll ever go to is a competition! Kari’s Pro Tip for successful competition: Keep your ego in check, set realistic goals, and HAVE FUN!

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PHOTO BY JEFF SHAPIRO

TARKIO, MONTANA 34

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UNDER

DOWN

All the Way

19th FAI World Championships in Forbes, Australia

by Claudia Mejia 36

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with lots of action, suspense, history, comedy and drama. I am sure there was some romance as well, but no horror or excessive violence. One of the nicest aspects for us was that the US played an important role throughout the competition. Our team not only did a fantastic job but our group also served as individuals who were key to the success of the event.

fter a hiatus of 15 years, the FAI Hang Gliding World Championships returned to Forbes, Australia. In 1998, Australia hosted the 11th edition of our most important competition, during which Guido Gehrmann of Germany won the title, Oleg Bondarchuck of Ukraine came in 2nd and Manfred Ruhmer of Austria won 3rd place. At that time, each team organized its own towing, mostly by car or trike; there was only one Dragonfly and very few dollies at that time, so most pilots foot-launched. Participants in the 19th competition experienced many improvements. The organizers provided 10 Dragonflies, one trike, plenty of dollies and a large crew to ensure everyone’s safe, fast and fair takeoff and flying. This Championship was exceptionally demanding. Many tasks, as well as an incredible number of hours, were flown in different types of conditions, which sometimes were extreme. It was also incredibly thrilling—just like some of Hollywood’s best productions—

Action Out of the 11 available days, 10 tasks were flown in all sorts of conditions. The shortest task was 98 miles, the longest—with goal OPPOSITE Jonny Durand preparing for landing after back at Forbes making it even harder— crossing the line – Task 9. 154.4 miles; the task average was 117 LEFT Staff in costume, miles. Most pilots were flying between parading by. 5 to 7.5 hours every day, not counting the practice flights or mentioning the late retrieves where people made it back to their accommodations (if they did not have to sleep out) around midnight. Take-offs were challenging and quite turbulent at times. On Task 2, the conditions around the airfield were difficult, resulting in half of the field landing back there to go up and refly, for a total of 156 tows that day! The tugs landed and took off, incessantly, for almost two hours every day. There were also plenty of dust devils crossing the field to keep everybody “on their toes.” Luckily, none of them damaged any gliders or hurt any pilots. Moreover, there was not a single Dragonfly incident.

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Even though conditions were excellent, on most days we had blue skies. This made it possible for big gaggles to stay together, getting lots of pilots into goal. Without counting Tasks 5 and 6, which were stopped, at least 60 pilots were landing on goal most days, with a maximum of 77 on Task 3 (shortest task). On Tasks 2 and 10, fewer pilots made it: 35 and 42. Because of these results, some participants asked the meet director and task committee to create a more ABOVE Manfred Ruhmer selective task that would allow fewer waiting for the time to launch. pilots to arrive at goal. They devised a OPPOSITE Zac Majors being 154.4-mile course back to Forbes that interviewed by national TV. resulted in only 17 pilots making goal; however, seven pilots still landed a couple miles short of goal and another 54 pilots flew over 120 miles that day. Without counting the two pilots who landed at the paddock without getting on course, we could say that the first “bomb out” was at 42 miles. Zac Majors gave this championship a very special and “personalized” touch; he was amazing. On Task 1, unfortunately, he landed very early, earning only 70 points for his flight. Task 2, however, was a whole different story. On the 101-mile race-to-goal

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over one turnpoint, Zac flew in third, Attila second and Manfred first. Even though the other two were five and three seconds (yes, seconds) faster than Zac into goal, he flew in front more often throughout the course, earning 16 extra leading bonus points. These made up for his infinitesimally slower speed (0.06mph) and for his goal arrival position, making him day winner with a 6-point lead. Pedro Garcia, who placed fourth on that task, was astonished by Zac’s performance and told him shortly after the flight: “I was with Attila and Manfred coming into goal when, suddenly, I saw another glider that had flown in from a different direction, all alone; I was pretty impressed, and when I realized it was you, I was thrilled!” During the daily prize-giving the next morning, the cheers for Zac were amazing. Perhaps spurred on by this enthusiasm, he beat everyone on Task 3. He “aced” it by flying faster than the rest, getting more leading points and flying in first to goal. Even more satisfying for the US was knowing that Paris was right with him, coming in 27 seconds later and taking second place for the day. Zac also won Task 6 (stopped), for a total of

three individual wins and one tie (for second place on Task 10). Drama and Mild Violence Don’t get distressed thinking we witnessed lots of drama and violence during this competition. Here and there we had isolated incidents and tense moments. I guess it is practically impossible to avoid some controversy in such a large competition, especially since we are talking about the most important event in our sport. This competition, which is only held every two years, is the place where different nationalities and cultures from 23 countries meet and mingle. And, of course, there is a lot at stake! A couple of complaints were voiced to the organization, which resulted in interesting discussions and, hopefully, suggestions for improvement. One issue concerned some pilots who flew into areas that had been specified as CTAF airspace, meaning penalties clearly described in the Local Rules would result for “any infringement.” These pilots got penalties on Task 6, some of them resulting in 0 points for the day. Another pilot expressed his disagreement with the practice of scoring stopped tasks in world championships. He felt neither Task 5 nor 6 should have been counted, because, he contended, the points awarded after any stopped task do not necessarily reflect the true relative performance of the pilots; the results become more like a “lottery.” Perhaps this idea should be explored when organizing future competitions, especially when pilots are flying for a world or continental title. On the “violent” side, happily there were no problems among pilots themselves. There were two crash landings without severe injuries, only a mild concussion: The first, in Task 5, was due to landing in extremely strong winds in the rotor behind a line of trees. In the second, in Task 8, the pilot came in on final very fast, was not able to open his harness or release his VG in time, and crashed into the ground. Despite these two incidents, the competition was very safe, thanks to the organizers, the staff, and the pilots’ skills and good sense. I hope this trend in flying safe continues. Another peak dramatic moment occurred during Task 9, when Gordon Rigg of Great Britain did not make it all the way to the goal line and, despite his effort to maximize his glide, landed just 295 feet short. Even though that type of experience has to be frustrating for the pilot, those final glides and short-of-goal

landings are especially thrilling for spectators. This day included Kraig Coomber’s favorite task, and I’m sure several other pilots shared his feeling. He remarked: “The most memorable task for me was the 250+ km closed course. It felt like we extracted the most we could out of the day, and it was pretty satisfying to make it around.” Suspense In the morning of the last day, after the results list indicated a mere 20-point gap between the first two placeholders in the individual race, Manfred Ruhmer and Alex Ploner, other races remained so close that last-minute changes could occur in the first 10 spots. As for ranking the teams, the USA team, in second position, was closing in on the Italians, jeopardizing their first position, making them sweat for real. This had all of us biting our nails. During Task 9, the spectators got to witness one of the most exciting goal arrivals ever. I was next to

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Flavio Tebaldi, the Italian team leader, getting live information from Christian Ciech, who was coming in first towards goal. After already being on final glide, he realized his calculations were not right and he’d have to stop in order to gain some extra height. We heard him narrate he was down to 3117 feet while still some kilometers away, and then that he’d ABOVE Cooling off behind found a 98fpm climb he worked for the water truck. RIGHT several long-lasting minutes. His climb Happy Robin Hamilton after rate increased to 197fpm, finally giving landing at goal. OPPOSITE him the necessary altitude to complete Jamie Shelden on launch, getting her glider straightened the glide. And what a glide it was! out. We could see him coming in, looking pretty tight, with his team leader sweating. But Christian was able to squeeze every glide point out of his glider and make it over the goal line— with probably two feet of clearance—straight into the wind, to land some feet past it! Only 16 other pilots made it to goal that day; Manfred Ruhmer landed 2.5 miles short, losing 252 crucial points against Alex Ploner—which brings us back to the 20-point gap between these two former world champions. On Task 10, the Italian pilots came in a bit slow. Even though Filippo Oppici (AKA Pippo) came into goal before Paris and Robin, they were both faster than he, meaning that the US had three pilots in front of the first Italian for the day— in 2nd, 12th and 13th place. Boy-oh-boy, this was exciting! Due to late retrieves, the daily results were not published until around midnight and, even then, the Italians were not 100% sure they had been able to retain their first spot against the US “menace.” Comedy (and just plain fun)

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To lighten up the tale, let’s take a look at the funny side of the competition. Most of the comedy came from the staff group, composed of at least 50 people who did a fantastic job every day. As usual in competitions, the daily briefings were often humorous, causing the crowd to erupt in laughter. Also, the task committee not only concentrated on suggesting routes, they also worked on official names for some tasks, so pilots might fly the “Super Hard” Task 2, the “Try Angle” Task 3, the “Dawg Leg” Task 4, the “In-Tree-Sting” Task 5, the “Send-A-Roo-TooHeaven” Task 7, the “Rest Day (Drivers)” Task 8— with goal back at Forbes—and the infamous “Axed” Task 9, with its grueling 154.4 mi!es. Because the climate is so hot and dry in Forbes, the township provided a portable shower system, which was greatly appreciated; yet, the better system was a truck loaded with water, which was originally sent to spray the field. However, many of us found it an excuse to cool off and play around. As soon as the truck went by, we ran behind it for a refreshing shower! To help pilots find goal, the crew had painted a smiley-face sign that one of them held while standing on the line. Christian Ciech said that on his uncer-

tain final glide (Task 9), he stayed focused on that red smiling face all the way in. Manfred also said he was able to see it on different days from far away and, as a memento, they gave him a copy of the board, which also said: “Manfred, you made it!” And Manfred was pretty “smiley” celebrating his fourth world title! At the entrance of the Moyes paddock, three cheerful young guys in charge of checking car passes welcomed us to the competition. After a couple of days, they armed themselves with greeting signs in many different languages and even learned to distinguish the teams so they could lift the appropriate sign. It was heartwarming to see their initiative and effort, so I decided to take a picture to share with you. When I noticed that one of the bottom signs with pictures meant: picture = beer, I brought each of them an icecold beer the next day. During the last pilot briefing, Vicky Moyes announced that since it was the last day, the crew had gotten permission to wear something other than their uniforms. What nobody expected was that they were going to wear COSTUMES in the 90-105°F heat. Yes, we had cavemen directing the launch lanes, Ms. Dust

Devil doing safety checks, Aussie Hands as airfield controller, a clown for meet director, a Hawaiian princess as field officer, Mad Max men retrieving the dollies, plus a pretty nurse, Heidi-style girls, Superman, a hippy, and many more characters circulating around the paddock helping the pilots. The Sportsmanship Award was given to Guatemala for being the team that, despite all the difficulties and hardships encountered during the competition, was always in a good mood, easily laughing and having fun. When Vicky announced this prize, the whole crowd cheered! History At every world competition one gets the chance to observe important characters in our sport. This year many of them were at Forbes. Of course, Bill Moyes was there. He usually travels to the world championships to support the Moyes pilots, but this time he did more than provide support; he also did a lot of work before, during, and after the competition. And by his side, as she has been for the past 60 years or so, was Molly.

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A number of world and European champions were present in Forbes, most of them flying, a couple of them visiting: Manfred Ruhmer, Alex Ploner, Attila Bertok, Corinna Schwiegershausen, Françoise Dieuzeide, Michael Friesenbiechler and Kathleen Rigg were all flying in this 19th edition of the hang gliding Worlds. Steve Moyes and Rick Duncan (both former world champions) were here for a couple of days. As an addition to this significant group, let’s not forget the tug pilot Bob Bailey—creator of the Dragonfly—especially in this competiTOP Most of the staff. tion where 10 Dragonflies were towing! BOTTOM Bob Bailey driving I learned that back in 1982, Bob placed to work in the morning. 3rd while flying for Great Britain in the European championships in Millau, France. Now, let’s look at the contributions of participants from the US. I previously mentioned that Vicki Moyes assembled a fantastic staff that did a wonderful job; the amount of work and effort put in by them was admirable because, undoubtedly, an aerotowing competition is more complex than a foot-launching one. A couple of days into this event, I realized that several Americans in this group played important roles, helping in the positive outcome of the whole event. Bob Bailey, Jim Prahl and Rhett Radford served as three of the 10 tug pilots. Michelle Taylor was one of Vicki’s key officials who took care of public relations and customer services, which helped pilots and their friends solve all sorts of problems. Davis Straub was a very effective meet director and weatherman. Dennis Pagen was in charge of sprog measurements on behalf of the CIVL. Mike McFaddin, always good-natured and accommodating, retrieved for the female section of the team, helping them and many others in order to make their lives easier. Another impressive American touch worth mentioning was the strong performance of the Wills Wing gliders (and their pilots, of course). Wills gliders were winning individual tasks, two Wills were among the top five places—one on the podium, with Filippo Oppici winning the bronze medal, and one in fifth place—and four Wills gliders, out of a total of six, among the Italian team who got the gold medal! Finally, I’ve arrived at one of my favorite moments of this whole experience: the outstanding performance of the US National Team! THE team that brought the USA back to the podium after something like 18 years, THE team that was so close—only 72 points—to

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snatching the highest step on the podium from the Italians, making them so nervous they were impatiently waiting for the final results to confirm that they had retained their title. The members of the US team started off pretty strong, placing within the first 10 places after Task 1 and, thanks to our pilots’ superb and consistent flying, escalating rapidly and remaining in the top spots. Taking a closer look at their performance as a team, some interesting facts highlight their ability: They scored better than the Italians in six tasks out of 10. Both teams scored best on Task 8; however, the US got 11 points more and, on their lowest scoring days—Task 5 for the US and Task 6 for the Italians—the score of the US was 146 points higher. Unfortunately, all of these superlative performances were not enough, this time, to beat the Italians, who have been winning European and World Championships for several years. Nevertheless, their awesome flying put Team USA only 72 points away from winning the gold medal. The US team received a beautiful 2nd place medal and stood on the podium with big smiles on their faces and a fantabulous feeling in their hearts! All of us share in their happiness and pride. The performance of our team also helps US pilots realize

that winning a gold medal in the Worlds is possible, that no team is invincible, and that the US can put together a team that has what it takes to stand on the podiums of the most important events in our sport. Well done! It was good to see world-class pilots like Robin Hamilton and Kraig Coomber, who had flown in category-1 competitions before, be part of the team. Kraig said: “It’s the first Worlds I have flown in as a US pilot, and it was a great team to be on. I have been competing in the US since 1996 and based there since 2000, so it was a pretty natural transition for me to be flying with these guys. We all worked well together in the air, and there was no shortage of experience amongst us.” Jamie Shelden and Linda Salomone were among the team members who had the chance to go all the way Down Under and fly the same competition as “the boys” and, like Jamie said: “Most of us girls aren’t in the top echelon when it comes to hang gliding. Being allowed to fly at the Worlds is a rare opportunity. Although it can be (and was most of the time) a bit disheartening to see how I stack up against the best of the best, there is no better learning experience as far as I’m concerned. I had several flights that, under non-comp circumstances, I would have considered just plain

awesome! More than anything, I was just happy to get so much airtime and to survive aerotowing under the most extreme circumstances.” The 19th FAI World Hang Gliding Championships will remain as a real BlockBuster hit, with a fantastic organization and staff, great weather, awesome pilots and lots of memories. Even though I was not able to live the experience from the air, I am very happy to have been there and, therefore, be able to share my experiences with you!

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KITE in the

CROWD

by Matthew Graham

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hen Benjamin Franklin flew his kite in the dead of night during a thunderstorm in 1752, he had little idea that the use of kites would someday become a hobby enjoyed by millions of Americans. Each spring, kite flyers all over the country converge on the National Mall in Washington, D.C., for the Smithsonian Annual Kite Festival. There are kite fights, aerobatic displays, box kites, kites in the shape of scuba divers and mermaids, and kites that can buoy humans up to the clouds— hang gliders and paragliders, of course. “We love telling people we have the biggest kites on the mall,” says Capital Hang Gliding and Paragliding Association (CHGPA) member Craig Shelton. For as long as Craig has been flying, over 14 years, he has helped promote the sports of free flight at this nationally renowned event. The Smithsonian Kite Festival would not exist if not for another kite enthusiast, Paul Garber. A city ordinance had banned the flying of kites in the nation’s capital. Garber flew kites from age five, and wrote a manual on the subject for the Boy Scouts in 1931. In 1942, as a Navy lieutenant commander, Garber developed kites that looked like enemy aircraft for gunners to use as target practice. The

accuracy of the gunners dramatically improved as the elusive vehicles weaved through the sky. Previously, clouds had been used as targets. After WWII, Garber was appointed as the first director of the Smithsonian Air Museum (now OPPOSITE Kiting paragliders near the the Air and Space Museum) and sucWashington monument. cessfully lobbied Congress to lift the ABOVE A young dreamer ban on flying kites in Washington, test hangs. Photos by Karen D.C., in 1971. Carra. The festival is a celebration of Garber’s achievements and draws thousands of visitors each year. The large grassy expanse bordered by gleaming white museums and monuments is abuzz with activity, as kids of all ages sail kites up into the azure sky. “We attract lots of families to our display,” says Shelton, “especially after I attached a child’s harness to one of the gliders a few years ago.” A line of children extends all day long as they wait to take turns “flying” in the glider. Dianne Gotzman of Rockville, Maryland, waited over 30 minutes so her three daughters could be suspended in Shelton’s yellow-and-red Pulse 11-meter glider and learn the basics of pitch control and steering. “Now all of them want to fly gliders when they grow up,” says Gotzman. The CHGPA display usually features two

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“CHGPA, with over 100 members, has actively promoted flying at the festival and other venues ever since the club’s founding in 1974.” hang gliders, several paragliders, a booth with information on local flying sites, a video of flying action and old hang gliding magazines to distribute. Organizers of the festival have become so enthralled with CHGPA that they even post volunteers to block off an area free of foot traffic to allow paragliders to kite, putting on a show for BELOW The popular CHGPA onlookers in the sometimes “switchy” booth. TOP LEFT Youngster air flowing over the museums. “There under the Batwing. TOP are lots of oohs and aahs from the RIGHT Some of the kites and crowd whenever we are kiting,” says wind catchers enlivening the festivities. CHGPA vice president Matt Ingram. CHGPA, with over 100 members, has actively promoted flying at the festival and other venues ever since the club’s founding in 1974. By definition, a kite is a tethered heavier-thanair craft that depends on wind for lift. They were actually the first manmade objects to fly, invented in China over 3000 years ago and originally constructed from silk and bamboo. As Ben Franklin later demonstrated, these seemingly simple craft are more than mere toys. A kite was utilized in running the initial line across the mighty gorge at Niagara Falls, in 1847, to begin the process of building a suspension bridge to span the treacherous river and help establish the town as a tourist destination. The procedure has been

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repeated for the construction of many other bridges. Even in the 15th century, Leonardo Da Vinci laid out plans to facilitate bridge building with kites. Other great inventors also utilized these vehicles of flight. The Wright brothers experimented with kites in the development of the first airplane. By moving the position of four lines attached to a kite, the brothers discovered they could warp its shape and mimic the motion of a bird’s wing to control steering. A prototype was developed, labeled Glider Number 1, which could carry a human. In 1903, they adapted this biplane glider to become the first motor-driven aircraft: the Wright Flyer. The glider remains one of the forerunners of modern hang gliders. Alexander Graham Bell experimented with kites to carry humans in unpowered flight, and later developed an airplane of his own. Before weather balloons, box kites carried meteorological instruments high into the atmosphere from 1890 to 1930 to measure wind, temperature, barometric pressure and humidity. And history repeats itself in the sport of kiteboarding, with canopies that resemble paragliders. Kite surfers often leap more than 30 feet into the air, using waves as ramps. Using kites for propulsion, however, is really one of the oldest applications of this technology. Ben Franklin had kitesurfing wired 200 years ago. He wrote in his journals, “I found that by lying on my back and holding the stick in my hands, I was drawn across the lake in a very agreeable manner.” During winter months, he played with kites for propulsion while ice skating. Franklin’s legacy continues as a new generation of flyers falls in love with this ancient pastime—both tethered and un-tethered. “Kites are everywhere, and

“Even in the 15th century, Leonardo Da Vinci laid out plans to facilitate bridge building with kites.”

kids are running around getting their lines stuck and laughing,” Ingram exclaims. “Everyone is having fun!” One of the more exciting shows at the kite festival is a ballet of stunt kites flying together in unison only inches apart. The spectacle resembles the feats of the Navy’s Blue Angels. And, of course, many enjoy the aspect of designing and building kites. During the festival, nearly 60 different awards are handed out for a wide variety

of styles. The kites are judged on both airworthiness and design, including craftsmanship, structural soundness and beauty. Says Ingram, “Seeing all of those kites in the sky, in so many colors and sizes, with long, flowing tails against the backdrop of the Washington Monument is a truly amazing sight. It makes one appreciate flying that much more.” The Smithsonian Kite Festival, now named the Blossom Kite Festival, was held this year on March 30, 2013. To learn more about the kite festival, go to: www. nationalcherryblossomfestival.org. For more information on free flight in the Washington, D.C., area, visit www.chgpa.org.

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O R ALCUTION

O V RE T

he device strapped to Calin Popa’s acro harness reminds me of the Flux Capacitor from the Delorean in Back To The Future: cables, components and flashing LEDs. I wonder if, with enough G-force, he’ll be able to

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g a P y d n by A

defy time as well as gravity. Popa, a 29-year-old Romanian acro pilot, is in Pokhara, Nepal, to test out his self-built electronics project which he grandly calls the VTR1000. “It’s a teaching aid to help perfect timing for acro maneuvers,” he explains. It uses an accelerometer, gyroscope, and 3D compass. Together they make up the “inertia measurement unit,” which the on-board processor uses to calculate the position, speed and acceleration of the glider and harness at any given moment. There’s also a barometric pressure sensor and a GPS module that feeds data into the machine. The output is a series of perfectly timed voice commands, and timing tones “Pull beep, Release barp, Exit buzz...” that teach the pilot precisely

when he needs to weight-shift, or add and release brake inputs while he practices new acro maneuvers. “If you’re just a couple of hundred milliseconds out on the timing of a Rhythmic SAT, you lose the momentum,” says Popa. “Even with an instructor on radio it’s hard to learn it, and the pilot’s reaction time can make all the difference.” We’re at his laptop looking at a series of graphs and videos. With his infectious enthusiasm and madscientist excitability, he’s energetically explaining the relationship between the parameters shown on the graphs and the perfect timing for brake inputs. ABOVE Calin Popa and his VTR1000, the machine that taught him to tumble. LEFT Pal Takats prepares for a callibration runs with the VTR1000.

Inspiration and Perspiration Popa first got the idea to build the machine after frustratingly failing to learn the timing for a Rhythmic SAT. The maneuver is the gateway to tumbling and all the tumbling-related maneuvers, like the Esfera. It took him about four years of development to get to this stage, and the hardest part was calibrating it. He enlisted three-times world champion acro pilot Pal Takats to do a few flights with the VTR1000 strapped on his harness and a GoPro recording Takats’s inputs with the brake handles. Popa’s development partner Ovidiu Ban then built analysis software to make sense of all the parameters the machine could record. The software also synchronizes these graphs with video from Takats’s flights on the screen. “I discovered you can’t base the timing cues for inputs on just one factor, like simply G-force for instance,” says Popa, who spent six months deciphering the information from the flights. “It’s more complicated than that. There are secondary factors which also affect the timing of corrections.” Popa says he’s cracked the puzzle and uncovered these inter-relationships, and the algorithm he came up with is now the secret ingredient at the heart of the firmware in the VTR1000, which he and Ban have submitted for patent approval. He’s added a voice unit to the circuitry and recorded the commands so it functions as the world’s most extreme sat-nav. The results are impressive: The machine has taught Popa the Rhythmic SAT and he’s gone on to learn Tumbles and Esferas and estimates that with this device any pilot can learn acro maneuvers five times faster, and five times more safely. “You select the maneuver you want to do, and can tweak it with the wing loading and the pilot’s reaction time,” says Popa as he sets up the device before a flight. “Not only can it teach new pilots the right timing, it can re-train

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pilots that have picked up bad habits and are struggling to progress.” A French acro pilot and I watch from launch as Popa tests his machine. “Ah, Calin!” sighs the Frenchman. “That guy, he’s on another level. He’s going to be world champion some day,” he volunteers. “It’s programmed with Pal Takats’s moves!?” asks another keen follower of the acro circuit “That’s nuts. It’s like getting driving lessons from Dale Earnhardt!”

New Moves Analyzing the graphs of different parameters on his computer, Popa has developed a unique perspective

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on what’s happening in the midst of acro maneuvers. He can quantify how much energy the wing gains or loses in response to his early or late timing of brake inputs. This insight has already led him to conceptualize a couple of new maneuvers. That’s normally the preserve of the sport’s stalwarts. The “Ballerina” is a series of twisting tumbles that, like an Esfera, sees the pilot tracing out the shape of a sphere, but the path follows vertical lines of longitude. The “Devil’s Whip” is a series of figure-eight tumbles, alternating between the left and right of vertical. Programming his machine to help him, he’s perfected the Ballerina and

is working on tidying up his Devil’s Whip.

Auto-judge But the device also has the potential to revolutionize the acro competition circuit. Using the data recorded during a routine, the perfection of each maneuver could be scored objectively by a computer instead of subjectively by judges looking through binoculars. Popa has hopes for a future online acro league, much like Leonardo or XC Contest, where pilots can upload TOP LEFT Harnessing the power of the machine. The VTR1000 installed on Calin Popa’s acro harness. BOTTOM LEFT Data from the VTR1000 for the perfect manouvre. ABOVE Tumbling.

the log files from their VTR1000 and the website’s server can score them. Following the acro competition circuit around the world is expensive and requires a dedication few can afford. While an online league probably wouldn’t ever replace the sharing that goes on at these events, it could open up the discipline to a much wider field of pilots, who could learn by comparing their log files with those of the top competition pilots.

Not available in the shops—yet Popa and Ban hope to have a marketable version of the VTR1000 for sale in time for this year’s European acro season. They envisage it being used by SIV and acro teachers as a tool to augment their clinics. At the moment the device can teach Rhythmic SATs, Tumbles, Esferas, Ballerinas, Misty Flips, Wing-overs and Dophining Stalls, and Popa is confident he can program it to do more. But the device still has some development steps to undergo before they can release it. Popa admits that some aspects of the machine are not very user-friendly, and there are some technicalities to iron out over how it translates to different wings and wing loadings. Takats and Popa have only flown the device with the U-Turn Thriller, for instance. Before releasing it to the public, the final step is to test it with other wings and other pilots to improve both these areas. Sebastian Borquin, a veteran SIV and acro instructor who’s credited with inventing Big Ears and many other flying techniques, is set to be one of the first to try the VTR1000 in the run-up to the final version being released. “It’s a really great device. So clever. I can’t wait to try it,” says Borquin. “We’re almost at the end of the road with the development process,” says Popa with visible relief. Roads? Where they’re going, they don’t need roads.

Host your own

USHPA ACCREDITED EVENT

(ACE)

Go to www.USHPA.aero or call 1-800-616-6888 •

Training Events and Demos

•

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•

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Community Awareness

Enjoy full coverage event insurance, branding opportunities, access to free online and print advertising, organizational and support tools, community involvement, increased local support and participation.

HANG GLIDING & PARAGLIDING MAGAZINE

RACK?

by Tom Webster

NO PROBLEM.

FIGURE 1

f you fly hang gliders, sooner or later you’ll need to get your flying gear from point A to point B without a rack on your car. Maybe you happen to be driving a rental, or maybe you didn’t build your roof rack in time for the first soarable day of the season. Either way, you need a quick solution to avoid the heartbreak of missed airtime. It’s often possible to build a quick rack with a ladder, some padding, and a bathroom plunger or two, but there are some potential problems with that approach. First, you might not be able to wrangle these items between the time you realize you need them and the time you want to go flying. Second, the car’s roof might only be equipped with flimsy luggage racks. And third, you need to rig everything securely enough to ensure that any surprise crosswinds or tractor-trailer drafts you encounter on the highway don’t blow your glider into the passing lane. Fortunately, there’s a simple and secure way to tote a hang glider with just about any kind of car and little more than two tie-down straps.

You will need: Two heavy nylon or polypropylene tie-down straps, in new condition, with dependable buckles. One should be about five feet long and the other about 10 feet long. A good example of this is the Thule heavy-duty cam buckle strap. FIGURE 2

You might want: • Several five- to 10-foot lengths of lightweight rope or straps • two pieces of heavy cardboard, about 1x3 feet • two large towels • Duct tape

Instructions

FIGURE 3

HANG GLIDING & PARAGLIDING MAGAZINE

Open the hood and loop the shorter one of the straps through the hinge on the passenger side as shown in Figure 1. Position the buckle so it lies about eight inches from the hinge and is oriented

What kind of downward. Make sure the part of the strap that goes around the hinge lies flat against the car and can’t get pinched. Then carefully close the hood. If the car has luggage racks, loop the other strap through the rear rack base. If there are no racks, or you have another type of vehicle, get creative. Is there a trunk with a hinge you can loop it around? How about the hatchback? Anchor points inside your pickup bed? Make sure the ribs or any other objects are not packed in the skinny end of the glider bag, and loop the front strap around it as in Figure 2. It’s important to put the skinny end in front to prevent the bag from sagging: If the front wheel can contact the glider bag when you turn, very bad things will happen. Lift the back end of the glider until it is even with the front and secure the rear strap as shown in Figure 3. Tighten the front strap until the glider fits snugly against the side mirror, and secure the strap end with a knot or two. Then, adjust the rear strap so the back of the glider is even with the front, or a few inches higher, and secure the end of the strap with a knot or two. As with the glider bag, it is critical that the strap ends cannot contact the tires. Add safety straps and ropes as you see fit. More is better. Use the towels and tape as you see fit to protect the car and glider from each other. If you are concerned about damage to the glider’s Mylar inserts, use the cardboard to spread the load from the straps. For what it’s worth, I have driven well over 1000 miles with this setup on both highways and smooth dirt roads with no damage to car or glider. The disadvantages to this method are obvious: You can only carry one glider, you can’t use the passenger side doors, and you must drive slowly on anything but a well-maintained paved road. But such concerns pale in comparison to the tragedy of a missed opportunity to fly.

AIRMAIL FIRST SUPER CLINIC SET TO LAUNCH June 22nd -June 29th; Ruch, OR. Train with some of the nation’s best instructors, at one of the most popular sites in the country, during the 11th annual Rat Race Paragliding Competition. Kari Castle and Ken Hudonjorgenson will head up the instructor team to train in the mornings, and then watch the competition action unfold on top of Woodrat Mountain. After the competitors have launched, you’ll be able to train at a premiere flying venue. Go to mphsports.com to reserve your spot. Attendance is limited. More information: Mike Haley, 503-7047004, mike_haley@charter.net, or mphsports.com.

’d like to announce the imminent publication of my second mainstream novel, OPEN DISTANCE. Whereas my first book (five-star suspense title ARCHANGEL) showcased personal soaring flight in two full chapters that folded nicely into a suspense plot, the new novel OPEN DISTANCE is entirely about us. This action thriller, while fiction, rides on the guts, glory, tensions and intrigue of an international tow-meet circuit. The 99-cent “pilot week” will run from Saturday, May 4th through Sunday, May 12th; anyone interested should grab it then, before the price hikes back to $2.99. (If you don’t have a Kindle, the free Kindle reader app is an easy way to read it on any tablet, iPad, smart phone, PC or Mac.) Thanks, Mike Vorhis, USHPA #56724

are you? Just Getting Started? • Vario + GPS in One Device • Live Color-coded Thermal Tracks Red=Up, Blue=Down • Easy-to-edit Custom Displays Focus on What You Want to See • Glide Over Terrain Feature See Where Your Glide Takes You

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Giant Color Touchscreen Ultra-sensitive Vario Rapid Update GPS Simulator Mode for Replay

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sales@advancedparagliding.com phone: 415-662-3874 53

HANG GLIDING & PARAGLIDING MAGAZINE

WHAT KIND OF

PILOT ARE YOU?

b) stick with the training glider.

a) to pick up guys/chicks. b) to share my love of flying and make

19. I want to start going XC. I first invest in

some money.

a) a better life insurance policy.

c) Nope, flying tandem is irresponsible.

b) a SPOT device.

10. I ground handle my wing

c) get a mellow DHV1-2.

c) a cool flight suit to match my wing.

a) whenever I get the opportunity.

20. When the air gets turbulent, I

b) never—ground handling damages

a) try a Helico.

by Christina Ammon

the wing.

b) control the surges with active

Pick the answer that most describes you.

c) I only ground handle.

inputs.

1. When my new wing arrives, I

a) I don’t take it. It’s too scary.

11. When an SIV clinic is offered

c) fly away from it and think about my reserve handle.

a) kite it before flying.

b) I take it to learn some techniques for

21. After flying for one year I

b) go to a new site and fly it right away.

dealing with collapses in flight.

a) consider untying the red beginner

c) put it in the garage with all my other

c) I take it to learn how to Death Spiral

ribbon from my harness.

unused gear.

into the landing zone.

b) think of getting my tandem rating.

2. Before I fly, I like to drink a) a margarita.

12. I’ve had a few incidents/ accidents. I conclude

b) chamomile tea with rescue remedy.

a) flying is the wrong sport for me.

22. On the shuttle on the way up to launch, I

c) water.

b) I need to go back to the training hill.

a) tell riveting war stories.

c) I will never give up: It was bad luck.

b) calmly collect my thoughts and

3. I bought my gear

c) start thinking about getting a P-3.

c) from the factory, where I’d traveled

13. The windsock is 90° cross and the wind is gusting. Someone prompts me to launch. I

to oversee production and buy direct.

a) ignore them and wait for a better

23. I want to start flying acro. I

a) at a yard sale. b) from my instructor.

4. I learned to fly because

enjoy the view. c) look over the edge of the road and worry.

cycle.

a) enroll in an over-the-lake SIV clinic.

a) my girlfriend/boyfriend flies.

b) launch.

b) watch YouTube videos and teach

b) I love flying.

c) give up. Too much pressure.

myself.

c) flying is badass.

5. I stay motivated to fly

14. On launch I

c) just dream about it.

a) always launch first.

24. I have a GPS because

a) because all my friends are pilots.

b) watch other pilots before launching.

a) my instructor told me to buy one.

b) to hone my skills.

c) always launch last because I’m shy.

b) it’s helpful to calculate position and

c) to break world records.

6. I am on launch and I see a tandem pilot with poor launching skills clearly endangering a passenger. I

15. I fly with

glide ratio.

a) full-face helmet.

c) I want to have a track log of my

b) an open-face helmet.

flight when I break the world record.

c) ice-hockey gear.

a) say nothing. I’m not responsible.

16. If conditions are not perfect, I

b) gently intervene.

a) go immediately back down the hill.

POINTS

c) send a letter to USHPA.

b) para-wait for a while.

1. a(2) b(1) c(3) 2. a(1) b(3) c(2) 3. a(1)

c) figure I can compensate for the con-

b(2) c(3) 4. a(3) b(2) c(1) 5. a(3) b(2)

ditions with my skill.

c(1) 6. a(1) b(2) c(3) 7. a (3) b(1) c(2) 8.

7. I see a solo pilot struggling to launch. I a) hide my eyes.

17. I use my radio to

a(1) b(2) c(3) 9. a(1) b(2) c(3) 10. a(2)

b) grab his risers and launch him.

a) ask my instructor if I’ll make the

b(1) c(3) 11. a(3) b(2) c(1) 12. a(3) b(2)

c) ask if she is open to suggestions.

landing zone.

c(1) 13. a(2) b(1) c(3) 14. a(1) b(2) c(3)

b) tell people how many Gs I’m pulling.

15. a(2) b(1) c(3) 16. a(3) b(2) c(1) 17.

c) report on changing weather.

a(3) b(1) c(2) 18. a(1) b(3) c(2) 19. a(3)

8. A big storm cloud forms overhead while I am flying. I lift. There is safety in altitude.

18. I’ve got my P-2 and it’s time to buy gear. I

b) fly away and consider landing.

a) get an Icepeak 6. I’ll grow into it.

a) move to the center to get the best

c) consider pulling my reserve.

9. I’d like to fly tandems someday

HANG GLIDING & PARAGLIDING MAGAZINE

b(2) c(1) 20. a(1) b(2) c (3) 21. a(3) b(1) c(2) 22. a(1) b(2) c(3) 23. a(2) b(1) c(3) 24: a(3) b(2) c(1)

RATINGS ISSUED IN JANUARY HANG GLIDING

PARAGLIDING

RTNG NAME

STATE RATING OFFICIAL

RTNG NAME

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-3 H-3 H-3 H-4 H-5

CA CA UT AZ CO PA FL TN TN

Douglas Nolan Gary Anderson Lance Merrill Robert Szmanda Durl Drakulich Eric Wickey Henry Hart Joe Vandergriff Beth Vandergriff Georg Gasser Holli Kay Foster-eddy Adam Cath Douglas Nolan Gary Anderson Lance Merrill Brad Pasmore Robert Szmanda Henry Hart Joe Vandergriff Beth Vandergriff Georg Gasser Thomas La Hue Lance Merrill Georg Gasser Lance Merrill David Palmer

CA CA CA CA UT CO AZ FL TN TN CA UT UT OR

John Simpson Rob Mckenzie Bill Heaner Mark Knight Michael (scot) Trueblood Andy Torrington James Tindle Daniel Zink Daniel Zink Jon Thompson Robert Booth John Simpson John Simpson Rob Mckenzie Bill Heaner Mark Windsheimer Mark Knight James Tindle Daniel Zink Daniel Zink Jon Thompson Harold Johnson Bill Heaner Jon Thompson Bill Heaner Michael Haley

Icarus (24-40 points): Your enthusiasm and giddiness for flying is to be applauded, but don’t forget: When Icarus flew his wax wings too near the sun, he plummeted out of the sky. You may be flying ripstop cloth and Kevlar, but if you’ve had several close calls and your fellow pilots are looking

STATE RATING OFFICIAL

RTNG NAME

P-1 P-1 P-1 P-1 P-1 P-1 P-1 P-1

Sylvain Maeckelberghe AK David Liano WA Mickey Wilson AK Maikel Van Der Verren WA Daniel Kanner CA Lohit Vijayarenu CA Chandrashekae Vijayarenu CA Chris Clifton CA

Matt Bonney Miguel Gutierrez George Merk Marc Chirico Jason Shapiro Wallace Anderson Wallace Anderson Wallace Anderson

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-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

Dena Clifton Tonia Fox Jenna Hannon Sam Yassin Christopher Hast Christopher Hubbard Peter Fay Lauren Tyler Chris Fealy Brett Simon Lorraine Dumais Sean Linehan Michael Vaughn Cy Rill Kranak Kevin Mccue Rudy Morales Zach Orman Becca Dennis Christopher Weaver Jonas Marcinko Joseph Paddock Emil Bagapova Todd Giesler Nathan Fekete George Bokinsky William Hickok Chase Wilson Alexandra Crapo Christian Bandler Anais Pantaleone Chung Sing Lee Sylvain Maeckelberghe

Wallace Anderson Jeffrey Greenbaum James Burgess Bo Criss Rob Mckenzie Raimar Van Den Bylaardt David (dexter) Binder David (dexter) Binder Rob Sporrer Rob Sporrer Rob Sporrer Charles (chuck) Woods Nik Peterson Max Marien Aaron Cromer Charles (chuck) Woods Aaron Cromer Aaron Cromer Kevin Hintze Russ Bateman Jaro Krupa Jaro Krupa Rob Sporrer Christopher Grantham Max Marien Rob Sporrer Stephen Mayer Rob Sporrer T Lee Kortsch Terry Bono Wallace Anderson Matt Bonney

CA CA CA CA CA HI HI HI CA CA CA NM AZ AZ AZ NM AZ AZ UT ID MI MI MI MI VA VA FL FL NY NJ AK

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-4 P-4 P-4 P-4 P-4 P-4 P-4 P-4 P-4

David Liano Maikel Van Der Verren Daniel Kanner Takeshi Yoshizawa Sam Yassin Christopher Hast Christopher Hubbard Giles Fabris Peter Fay Lauren Tyler Chris Fealy Brett Simon Lorraine Dumais Michael Vaughn Christopher Weaver Jonas Marcinko Joseph Paddock Todd Giesler Nathan Fekete William Hickok Alexandra Crapo Anais Pantaleone Michelle Zeidman Sylvain Maeckelberghe Chien (ken) Dinh Kyle Cochran Scott Rebstock Rayna Carlson Justin Dyer Nancy Gormally Sylvain Maeckelberghe John De Ruiter David Mcmillan Darrel Wood Robert Coombs Khadija Meghan Striegel Christin Choma Gingher Leyendecker William Martsolf

STATE RATING OFFICIAL

WA WA CA CA CA CA HI CA HI HI CA CA CA AZ UT ID MI MI MI VA FL NJ WA AK CA CA CA HI AZ GA AK CA CA CA CA HI UT AZ CO

Miguel Gutierrez Marc Chirico Jason Shapiro Jeffrey Greenbaum Bo Criss Rob Mckenzie Raimar Van Den Bylaardt Max Marien David (dexter) Binder David (dexter) Binder Rob Sporrer Rob Sporrer Rob Sporrer Nik Peterson Kevin Hintze Russ Bateman Jaro Krupa Rob Sporrer Christopher Grantham Rob Sporrer Rob Sporrer Terry Bono Kevin Lee Matt Bonney Jesse Meyer Rob Sporrer Patrick Eaves Rob Sporrer Bradley Chastain Luis Rosenkjer Matt Bonney Jesse Meyer Kim Galvin Jerome Daoust Jerome Daoust Kevin Lee Dale Covington Chandler Papas Darius Lukosevicius

at you askance, you might have an “Icarus complex”—that combination

objective in your decision making and

a certain amount of confidence, or

of invincibility and hubris that landed

say “no” when the conditions aren’t

you will be dogged by weak infla-

Icarus in the sea. Not sure where you

right. Although a certain amount of

tions and panicky landings. If you are

stand? Ask your fellow pilots for their

risk is inherent to the sport of para-

obsessing with accident stories, or

honest opinion Learn the difference

gliding, you have set yourself up for a

trembling on launch, that might be

between boldness and skill. If this

long sustainable flying career.

a sign to re-evaluate your approach. The best activities are those where we

doesn’t work, think of the people who love you and take up a less conse-

Chicken Little (58-72 points): A good

can achieve flow: that match-made-

quential activity, like writing poetry.

dose of healthy fear is essential to

in-heaven sensation when our level

being a good pilot, and your height-

of competence meets the challenge

Sky Buddha (41-57): Your healthy pref-

ened sense of safety mostly serves

at hand. If you are not finding “flow,”

erence for the “middle path” means

you well in flying. You may not be

explore your motivations to fly.

you skillfully balance risk with reward.

having some of the epic adventures

You are ambitious, but your ego is

that your fellow pilots recount over

not so wrapped up in your flying that

beer, but if you can find joy within

you take foolish risks in an attempt to

your parameters, full power to you!

prove yourself. As a result, you have

On the other hand, too much of

mastered one of the most important

a “Sky is falling!” attitude can be

skills in flying: the ability to remain

dangerous as well. Flying requires

This quiz is for fun only and not meant to seriously diagnose flying disorders Christina Ammon is a pilot at Woodrat Mountain. You can reach her at: flyinghobogirl@gmail.com

HANG GLIDING & PARAGLIDING MAGAZINE

CALENDAR ITEMS will not be listed if only tenta-

tive. 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, see our Calendar of Events at: www.USHPA.aero CLINICS & TOURS 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. For more complete information on the Clinics & Tours listed, see our Calendar of Events at: www.USHPA.aero 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. AD DEADLINES: All ad copy, instructions, changes, additions & cancellations must be received in writing 2 months preceding the cover date, i.e. September 15th is the deadline for the November 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 809011330. If paying with credit card, you may email the previous information and classified to info@ushpa. aero. For security reasons, 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) 6326417 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.

HANG GLIDING & PARAGLIDING MAGAZINE

CALENDAR SANCTIONED COMPETITION PG MAY 5 - 11  LaBelle, Florida. East Coast Paragliding Championships/USHPA Sanctioned PG Race to Goal Regional Competition- AT. The Florida Ridge. Requirements: P3 with tow signoff and a GPS. Entry fee: $300. Tow fees: $150. Registration begins 2/1. More information: David Prentice, 505-720-5436, earthcog@yahoo.com, or earthcog.com. HG MAY 17-23  Souther Field, Americus, Georgia. Flytec Championship/USHPA Sanctioned HG Race to Goal XC Regional Comp - AT. Requirements: H4 or foreign equivalent for open class, H3 or foreign equivalent for sport class, aerotow rating, XC & turbulence signoffs, extensive aerotow experience on the glider to be flown in the competition, and 3D GPS. Registration: 12/10 to 4/10. Entry Fee: $325; Tow Fees: TBA. Prize money TBA. Trophies and day prizes. More information: Jamie Sheldon, 831-261-5444, naughtylawyer@gmail.com, or www.flytec.com. PG MAY 25-31  Dunlap, CA 2013 National PG Championships/USHPA Sanctioned PG Race to Goal National Championship-FL. A challenging meet set in the Sierra Nevada Mtns. We have reserved an entire camp with all of its amenities for this event. Requirements: Standard safety equipment, P3 rating with Turbulence sign off, 2013 Dunlap Flight Park Club annual launch fees and USHPA Membership. Entry fee: $350 ($325 prior to 4/1; $375 after May 15th) For more information: Connie Work 559-338-2370, connie@lockelectric.com, www.flydunlap.org. HG June 2-8  Highland Aerosports, Ridgely Airpark, Ridgely, MD. East Coast Hang Gliding Championship/USHPA Sanctioned HG Race to Goal XC Regional Comp - AT. Requirements: H4, H3 with meet director approval, XC, Turb, AT ratings, previously flown in a USHPA aerotow competition or have written approval(acquired prior to registration) from meet director, and a GPS. Pilots must have successfully aerotowed their glider in competition at least 10 times. Must have USHPA membership & H3 aerotow sign-off minimum 7 days prior to start of the meet. Entry Fee: $525, $575 after 4/15 OPEN; $425, $475 after 4/15 SPORT. Registration dates: 3/31-6/02. Prize money TBD from entries. More information: Highland Aerosports 410-634-2700, hanglide@aerosports.net, or www.aerosports.net. HG JUNE 16-22  Sandia, NM. Sandia Classic/ USHPA Sanctioned HG Race to Goal XC Comp – FL. Requirements: H4, Turbulence, Cliff Launch, XC, Restricted Landing Field. Entry Fee: $300. Registration dates TBD. More information: Andrew Vanis, 505-304-5306, andrewvanis@ gmail.com, or www.sandiaclassic.org.

PG JUNE 23-29  Woodrat, OR. Rat Race/Sprint PG Competition/Sanctioned PG Race to Goal XC Regional Comp – FL. There will be two independently scored groups in the event with each side having stand alone NTSS points. Rat Race will allow PG’s with an EN certification of C & D. The Sprint will allow PG’s tested with and EN certification of A, B, & C. Entry fee: $450 until 4/15 then $495. More information: Mike Haley, 541-7022111, mphsports@charter.net, or www.mphsports.com. HG JULY 7-14  King Mountain, Moore, ID. 2013 King Mountain Championship/USHPA Sanctioned Race to Goal & Open Distance Fly-In – FL. Requirements: H4 or H3 with H4 sponsor, turbulence sign-off, USHPA membership, and standard safety equipment. Entry fee: $100. Registration dates: 1/1-7/7. All the elements of a fly-in with a huge dollop of learning experience, then add a smidgen of competition, stir it up with an unbelievable amount of camaraderie and what you get is a recipe for the most fun you can have while expanding your horizons. This year we are going to try something new, we are going to have both race-to-goal and open distance at the same competition. Come join the fun! More information: Connie Work, 559-338-2370, connie@ lockelectric.com, or www.flykingmountain.com. HG AUGUST 4-10  Big Spring, TX. Big SpringU.S. Hang Gliding Nationals/USHPA Sanctioned HG Race to Goal National Championship & Open Distance Comp – AT. Requirements: H3 USHPA rating, current experience aerotowing on glider to be used during the competition. Entry Fee: $350; towing Fees: TBA - similar to previous meets. Registration Opens: 4/1. Trophies to be awarded. Best flying conditions for a competition anywhere in the world! Great locals and excellent facilities. Tons of airtime, long flights, high cloudbase. Longest continuously sanctioned competition in the US! More information: David Glover, 405-8306420, david@davidglover.com, or endlessthermal.com. PG AUGUST 25 - September 1  Inspo, Jupiter, Monroe, UT. Utah O.D. Nationals and Mentoring Comp/USHPA Sanctioned PG Open Distance National Championship – FL. Nationals & Mentoring Comp with three levels of competition including mentoring teams. Requirements: P3 with RLF & good kiting skills. Entry Fee: $428; late fee after 7/1 $495. Awards for all three levels & all participants. SPOT locators with live tracking required. More information: Ken Hudonjorgensen, 801572-3414, twocanfly@gmail.com, or twocanfly. com.

HG SEPTEMBER 15-21  Francisco Grande Resort, Casa Grande, AZ. Santa Cruz Flats Race/ USHPA Sanctioned HG Race to Goal XC Comp – AT. Requirements: H4 or foreign equivalent for open class, H3 or foreign equivalent for sport class, aerotow rating, XC and turbulence signoffs, and extensive aerotow experience on the glider to be flown in the competition. 3D GPS required. Registration dates: 4/15-8/15. Entry Fee: $325; Tow fees: TBA. Trophies and day prizes. More information: Jamie Shelden, 831-2615444, naughtylawyer@gmail.com, or santacruzflatsrace.blogspot.com. HG PG SEPTEMBER 27 & 28  Salt Lake City, UT. Spot Landing Nationals/USHPA Sanctioned HG & PG Accuracy Spot Landing National Championship – FL. USHPA-sanctioned HG & PG Accuracy Spot-landing National Championship. Hang gliding nationals held on September 27th and paragliding nationals held on September 28th. Entry fee is $75. Registration from 11/1/12 to 9/15/13. For more information: Stacy Whitmore, www.cuasa.com, or stacy@cuasa.com, or 435-979-0225

NON-SANCTIONED COMPETITION HG PG JUNE 30 - JULY 5  Chelan, WA. 32nd Annual Chelan Cross Country Classic: Six days of soaring in the peak summer season. Enjoy camping, swimming and of course flying from world famous Chelan Butte. Open distance, outand-returns and triangles. Trophies awarded in all classes for both Hang Gliding and Paragliding. Early bird special: $90 online until June 15th. Entry includes t-shirt and BBQ. Questions: contact lennybaron@comcast.net or visit our website at cloudbase.org (Entry $100 after June 15th.) HG JULY 14-20  Golden, British Columbia. 2013 Canadian National Hang Gliding Championships in the heart of the Canadian Rockies. Launch off famous Mt. 7 and fly the big mountains of the Rocky Mountain trench. 100+ miles and 14,000’ cloud base await you! Camping and HQ at Muller Flight Park / Golden Eco Adventure Ranch. HPAC insurance mandatory; temporary memberships for out-of-country pilots will be available. More information: Ross Hunter, 2hunters@telus. net, or 2hunters@telus.net. PG AUGUST 18-24  St. Paul-D’Abbotsford, Quebec, Canada. Come flatland flying at the 2013 Canadian PG Nationals, being held ~35 miles east of Montreal, Quebec. Multiple launches off an old eroded volcano offer potential for XC flying no matter the wind direction. Open distance, out-and-returns, and triangle tasks possible. FAI cat 2 sanctioned. $275Cdn entry fee and limited to 100 pilots. More information: Eric Olivier, 514961-1295, or eolivier2004@yahoo.com.

FLY-INS

HG PG JUNE 14-16  Eagle Rock, VA. Come join the “Skywackers” ( SW Virginia Hang Gliding and Paragliding Association ) for our fly-in. Eagle Rock is nestled between the Blue Ridge Mountains, the James River and the tracks of the Norfolk Southern Railroad. The mountain has SE and NW facing launches within walking distance of each other. A well maintained road to the launches can be driven with a 4WD vehicle. Free camping is available near the launches or in fields at the base of the mountain. A convenience store and gas station can be seen from the launch. We look forward to flying with you in June. More information: Larry Dennis, 540-529-1638, ksh3@ hotmail.com, or www.skywackers.org.

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clinics & tours May 3-5  Bishop, CA. Owens Valley Thermal

and Cross Country Clinic with Eagle Paragliding. We have had great success in the Owens Valley with our groups. The eastern side of the Sierras and the White mountains are our playground for this clinic. We have had participants go over 60 miles in these clinics. View photos and videos from previous clinics at www.paragliding.com. More information: Rob Sporrer, 805-968-0980 rob@paraglide.com, or www.paragliding.com.

MAY 5-7  Napa, CA: Over-the-water maneuvers clinics in Northern California with Eagle Paragliding. America’s top all-around acro and former National Champion Brad Gunnuscio will be coaching you over the water with our state of the art towing set up. Eagle is known for high quality tours and clinics with lots of staff, and this clinic is no exception. More information: Rob Sporrer, 805-968-0980, rob@paraglide.com, or www.paragliding.com. MAY 9-11  Napa, CA. Over-the-water maneu-

vers clinics in Northern California with Eagle Paragliding. America’s top all-around acro and former National Champion Brad Gunnuscio will be coaching you over the water with our state of the art towing set up. Eagle is known for high quality tours and clinics with lots of staff, and this clinic is no exception. More information: Rob Sporrer, 805-968-0980, rob@paraglide.com, or www.paragliding.com.

MAY 9-10  Santa Barbara, CA. Tandem Paragliding Clinic with Rob Sporrer of Eagle Paragliding in Santa Barbara, California. We will be doing classroom and practical training at the best year round training hill in North America. More information: Rob Sporrer, 805-968-0980 rob@paraglide.com, or www.paragliding.com. MAY 11-13  Santa Barbara, CA. Instructor Certi-

fication Clinic with Rob Sporrer of Eagle Paragliding in Santa Barbara, California. This three-day clinic is open to Basic and Advanced Paragliding Instructor candidates, and those needing recertification. We invite you to apprentice with us anytime to get as much hands on experience as possible before the clinic. More information: Rob Sporrer, 805-968-0980, rob@paraglide.com, or www.paragliding.com.

HANG GLIDING & PARAGLIDING MAGAZINE

JUNE 9-11  Napa, CA. Over-the-water maneuvers clinics in Northern California with Eagle Paragliding. America’s top all-around acro and former National Champion Brad Gunnuscio will be coaching you over the water with our state of the art towing set up. Eagle is known for high quality tours and clinics with lots of staff, and this clinic is no exception. More information: Rob Sporrer, 805-968-0980, rob@paraglide.com, or www.paragliding.com. JUNE 13-15  Napa, CA. Over-the-water ma-

neuvers clinics in Northern California with Eagle Paragliding. America’s top all-around acro and former National Champion Brad Gunnuscio will be coaching you over the water with our state of the art towing set up. Eagle is known for high quality tours and clinics with lots of staff, and this clinic is no exception. More information: Rob Sporrer, 805-968-0980, rob@paraglide.com, or www.paragliding.com. June 15-16  Utah. Mountain Flying and learn-

ing how to pioneer a new site in Utah with Ken Hudonjorgensen. Phone 801-572-3414, email twocanfly@gmail.com, or www.twocanfly.com.

may 17-19  Sebring, Florida. SIV: Over the wa-

ter Maneuvers training at one of the best locations in the world. Advanced instructor David Prentice, with over 20 years of experience, guides each pilot at their own pace. From the basics to the most advanced maneuvers. White sand beaches, crystal clear water, and warm coastal air, just seconds from downtown Sebring. More information: David Prentice, 505-720-5436, earthcog@yahoo.com, or Earthcog.com. may 17-19  Jackson Hole, WY. Basic and Ad-

vanced Instructor Certification Clinic presented by Scott Harris and Jackson Hole Paragliding. More information: 307-690-8726, scott@jhparagliding.com, www.jhparagliding.com. may 25-27  Utah. Thermal Clinic. Utah flying sites with Ken Hudonjorgensen. Phone 801-572-3414,email twocanfly@gmail.com, or www.twocanfly.com. JUNE 1-2  San Jacinto, CA. Learn or improve

your thermaling skills on this two-day clinic. $190 for both days. Includes two afternoons of theory and practice at Soboba, day fees, rides up to launch, pizza and soft drinks in the evening. Requirements: USHPA P-2 rating, radio, wing, harness, helmet, vario. On-site camping for $5/ night. Limited to 20 pilots. More information: Jerome Daoust, 951-654-4513, EyesToTheSky@ gmail.com, or http://sobobasoaring.org/events/ soboba-thermal-clinic/.

JUNE 7-9  Jackson Hole, WY. Tandem Certification Clinic presented by Scott Harris and Jackson Hole Paragliding at the Jackson Hole Mountain Resort. Fly tandems from the top of the aerial tram, 4139 vertical feet above the valley floor. More information: Scott Harris, 307-690- 8726, scottcharris@mac.com, or www.jhparagliding. com.

HANG GLIDING & PARAGLIDING MAGAZINE

July 5-7  Utah. Instructor Training with Ken

Hudonjorgensen. Phone 801-572-3414, email twocanfly@gmail.com, or www.twocanfly.com.

AUGUST 2-4  Torrey Pines Gliderport, CA. Earn

your T-1, T-2, or T-3 rating with the tandem instructors at Torrey who fly the most tandems per year! More information: Robin Marien/ Gabriel Jebb, 858-452-9858, info@flytorrey.com, or flytorrey.com.

AUG 7  Utah. Instructor Re-certification with

Ken Hudonjorgensen. Phone 801-572-3414, email twocanfly@gmail.com, www.twocanfly. com.

AUGUST 11-13  Napa, CA. Over-the-water maneuvers clinics in Northern California with Eagle Paragliding. America’s top all-around acro and former National Champion Brad Gunnuscio will be coaching you over the water with our state of the art towing set up. Eagle is known for high quality tours and clinics with lots of staff, and this clinic is no exception. More information: Rob Sporrer, 805-968-0980, rob@paraglide.com, or www.paragliding.com. AUGUST 15-17  Napa, CA. Over-the-water maneuvers clinics in Northern California with Eagle Paragliding. America’s top all-around acro and former National Champion Brad Gunnuscio will be coaching you over the water with our state of the art towing set up. Eagle is known for high quality tours and clinics with lots of staff, and this clinic is no exception. More information: Rob Sporrer, 805-968-0980, rob@paraglide.com, or www.paragliding.com.

AUGUST 25 - September 1  Open Distance

XC Nationals and Mentoring Competiton. Paragliding OD Nationals and a mentoring competition for those who are new to competition; Inspiration Point, Jupiter and Monroe, Utah, wherever the weather tells us to go. Register and pay before July 15, late fee after. Phone 801-572-3414, email: twocanfly@gmail.com, or www.twocanfly. com.

SEPTEMBER 13-15  Dunlap, CA. Foothills of the Western Sierras. Dunlap Thermal and Cross Country Clinic with Eagle Paragliding. Dunlap offers some great flying in the foothills of the west side of the Sierras. This trip is one of our favorite 3-day excursions. Join us for some nice flying with some great people. More information: Rob Sporrer, 805-968-0980 rob@paraglide.com, or www.paragliding.com. SEPTEMBER 16-30  Owens Valley, CA. Geared

for strong P4/H4 pilots. Fly one of the best sites in the US with one of the best pilots in the world. Kari Castle is a bi-wingual pilot and a 3-time world champion, world-record holder with multiple national champion titles under both of her wings. Let Kari’s 32 years of flying and 25 years of living/flying the Owens Valley be your guide! I will help customize your 3-4 day adventure to fit your needs whether you want one-on-one or a group setting. We will work on everything from take offs to landings, high altitude launches, dust devil awareness, reading the sky, how to map a thermal, goal setting and cross country. For more information contact: kari@karicastle.com, 760920-0748, or sign up at www.karicastle.com

SEPTEMBER 22-24  Napa, CA. Over-the-wa-

ter maneuvers clinics in Northern California with Eagle Paragliding. America’s top all-around acro and former National Champion Brad Gunnuscio will be coaching you over the water with our state of the art towing set up. Eagle is known for high quality tours and clinics with lots of staff, and this clinic is no exception. More information: Rob Sporrer, 805-968-0980, rob@paraglide.com, or www.paragliding.com.

SEPTEMBER 26-28  Napa, CA. Over-the-wa-

SEPTEMBER 28-29  Utah. Mountain Flying

and learning how to pioneer a new site in Utah with Ken Hudonjorgensen. Phone 801-572-3414, email twocanfly@gmail.com, or www.twocanfly. com.

OCTOBER 3-7  Owens Valley, CA. Women With

Wings only. Geared for P3 and P4 pilots. Back by popular demand! This year I’ll be limiting the number of pilots to keep the instructor to pilot ratio down as well as keeping pilots with similar skill level and goals together! Sign up early to secure your spot!! Owens Valley with Kari. Fly one of the best sites in the US with one of the best pilots in the world. Let Kari’s 32 years of flying and 25 years of living/flying the Owens Valley be your guide! We will work on everything from take offs to landings, high altitude launches, dust devil awareness, reading the sky, how to map a thermal, goal setting and cross country. More information: Kari Castle 760-920-0748, or kari@ karicastle.com.

OCTOBER 4-6  Bishop, CA. Owens Valley Thermal and Cross Country Clinic with Eagle Paragliding. We have had great success in the Owens Valley with our groups. The eastern side of the Sierras and the White mountains are our playground for this clinic. We have had participants go over 60 miles in these clinics. View photos and videos from previous clinics at www.paragliding.com. More information: Rob Sporrer, 805-968-0980 rob@paraglide.com, or www.paragliding.com. OCTOBER 13-14  Owens Valley, CA . Owens Valley with Kari Castle. Fly one of the best sites in the US with one of the best pilots in the world. Kari is a bi-wingual pilot and a 3-time world champion, world-record holder with multiple National Champion titles under both of her wings. Let Kari’s 32 years of flying and 25 years of living/flying the Owens Valley be your guide! I will help customize your 3-4 day adventure to fit your needs whether you want one-on-one or a group setting. We will work on everything from take offs to landings, high altitude launches, dust devil awareness, reading the sky, how to map a thermal, goal setting and cross country. For more information contact: kari@karicastle.com, 760920-0748, or sign up at www.karicastle.com. OCTOber 18-21  Owens Valley, CA . Ow-

ens Valley with Kari Castle. Fly one of the best sites in the US with one of the best pilots in the world. Kari is a bi-wingual pilot and a 3-time world champion, world-record holder with multiple National Champion titles under both of her wings. Let Kari’s 32 years of flying and 25 years of living/flying the Owens Valley be your guide! I will help customize your 3-4 day adventure to fit your needs whether you want one-on-one or a group setting. We will work on everything from take offs to landings, high altitude launches, dust devil awareness, reading the sky, how to map a thermal, goal setting and cross country. For more information contact: kari@karicastle.com, 760920-0748, or sign up at www.karicastle.com.

October 24-27  Owens Valley, CA. Women With Wings only. Geared for P2 and P3 pilots. Back by popular demand! This year I’ll be limiting the number of pilots to keep the instructor to pilot ratio down as well as keeping pilots with similar skill level and goals together! Sign up early to secure your spot!! Owens Valley with Kari. Fly one of the best sites in the US with one of the best pilots in the world. Let Kari’s 32 years of flying and 25 years of living/flying the Owens Valley be your guide! We will work on everything from take offs to landings, high altitude launches, dust devil awareness, reading the sky, how to map a thermal, goal setting and cross country. More information: Kari Castle 760-920-0748, or kari@ karicastle.com.

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NOVEMBER 8-26  Iquique, Chile. Where can

you ride thermals everyday of the year? Only in Iquique! Soar endless sand ridges high above the Pacific Ocean, then land on the beach next to our 4 star hotel! Your guides, Luis and Todd, have been multiple Iquique XC competition champions and have pioneered many new sites and XC routes over the last 15 years. Join them on a paragliding trip of a lifetime where most pilots gain more airtime and flying skills in one week than they normally would in an entire year! Instructional days available at the start of the trip focusing on building pilot skills. With amazing XC potential, many clients have flown 100 km flights! With over 18 years of combined guiding experience in Iquique, they guarantee you will fly everyday, or get money back!More information: Todd Weigand, wallowaparagliding@gmail.com, or www.paraglidingtrips.com.

NOVEMBER 8-26  This year we have divided

the tour into 4 different segments: Instructional Days, Iquique Days # 1, 2 and 3. Our Tour leaders are: Todd Weigand, Luis Rosenkjer and Ken Hudonjorgensen. The entire tour will be packed with instruction for all levels of paragliding (including P1thru P4). For anyone wanting to fly this is the tour to join. The last tour will focus more on XC. Phone: 801-572-3414, or email: twocanfly@ gmail.com, www.twocanfly.com .

NOVEMBER 8-10  Santa Barbara, CA NInstruc-

tor Certification Clinic with Rob Sporrer of Eagle Paragliding in Santa Barbara, California. This three-day clinic is open to Basic and Advanced Paragliding Instructor candidates, and those needing recertification. We invite you to apprentice with us anytime to get as much hands on experience as possible before the clinic. More information: Rob Sporrer, 805-968-0980 rob@ paraglide.com, or www.paragliding.com.

NOVEMBER 11-12  Santa Barbara, CA.Tandem

Paragliding Clinic with Rob Sporrer of Eagle Paragliding in Santa Barbara, California. We will be doing classroom and practical training at the best year round training hill in North America. More information: Rob Sporrer, 805-968-0980, rob@ paraglide.com, or www.paragliding.com.

DECEMBER 6-8  Santa Barbara, CA. Santa Barbara Thermal and Cross Country Clinic with Eagle Paragliding. Santa Barbara offers some of the best winter mountain flying in the USA. Our mountain flying season starts in September and ends the beginning of May. More information: Rob Sporrer, 805-968-0980 rob@paraglide.com, or www.paragliding.com. January 8-12, 2014  Southern California. Let’s go warm up and get ready for the spring flying season with Ken Hudonjorgensen . Phone 801-572-3414, email twocanfly@gmail.com, or www.twocanfly.com.

CLASSIFIED FLEX WINGS A GREAT SELECTION OF HG&PG GLIDERS (ss,

ds, pg) -HARNESSES (trainer, cocoon, pod) -PARACHUTES (hg&pg) -WHEELS (new & used). Phone for latest inventory 262-473-8800, www. hanggliding.com

HARNESSES FLY CENTER OF GRAVITY CG-1000 - The most affordable single line suspension harness available. Individually designed for a precise fit. Fly in comfort. www.flycenterofgravity. comflycenterofgraity@gmail.com, 315-256-1522

PARAGLIDERS All New - Never Used! Rush 3 small, blu/blu.

Sup'air Access med. Blu/blk. Apco, mayday 16. Sonic mini vario. Contact: p61xp61x@gamil.com

HANG GLIDING & PARAGLIDING MAGAZINE

SCHOOLS & INSTRUCTORS 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, hanglide.com.

ALAska AK Paramotor - Paragliding & Paramotor School. Year-round: USHPA+USPPA certification. Novice, Refresher, Training, Equipment. Frank Sihler 907-841-7468 www.USAparagliding.com

ARKANSAS RIVER VALLEY PARAGLIDING - Year-round

paragliding and paramotoring school on the Arkansas/Oklahoma state line in Fort Smith. More information: www.RvPPG.com

CALIFORNIA PARAGLIDING - Year-round excellent instruction, Southern California & Baja. Powered paragliding, clinics, tours, tandem, towing. Ken Baier 760-753-2664, airjunkies.com.

AIRJUNKIES

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 805-9653733.

THE HANG GLIDING CENTER - PO Box 151542,

San Diego CA 92175, 619-265-5320.

Mission Soaring Center LLC - Largest hang gliding center in the West! Our deluxe retail shop showcases the latest equipment: Wills Wing, Moyes, AIR, High Energy, Flytec, Aeros, Northwing, Hero wide angle video camera. A.I.R. Atos rigid wings- demo the VQ-45’ span, 85 Lbs! 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. Pitman 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, Mission Soaring Center LLC, leading the way since 1973. www.hang-gliding. com

TORREY PINES GLIDERPORT - NEW NEW NEW

- we have been working hard to bring you more! Let’s start with the LIVE music and off the charts BBQ festivities happening every Saturday during the summer months. For all you snow birds, call us this winter for details on our domestic and international thermaling clinic/tours we are now offering. Speed Flying your thing? Come test fly our new mini wings from Little Cloud. USHPA certified instruction for ALL ratings including Tandem and Instructor Clinics, SIV and PPG. We have expanded product lines to include Triple 7, Little Cloud, Aircross, SkyWalk, Niviuk, Ozone, UP, Plussmax Helmets, Paratech, Independence, Crispi Boots, Black Hawk Paramotors, GatorZ, FlyMaster, GoPro, Flytec, Ki2Fly, Sup Air, Dudek, MacPara, Woody Valley, Maillon Rapide, and much more! Our full service shop offers reserve repacks, annual glider inspections, repairs and more. We also carry an extensive certified used invemtory of gliders and harnesses. Check us out at flytorrey. com or give us a call 858-452-9858.

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 GUNNISON GLIDERS – X-C to heavy waterproof

HG gliderbags. Accessories, parts, service, sewing. Instruction ratings, site-info. Rusty Whitley 1549 CR 17, Gunnison CO 81230. 970641-9315.

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 Hang Gliding - We offer the

best instruction, friendliest staff, beautiful grounds with swimming pool, private lake and clubhouse, lodging, plus soaring in our superfamous, soft, Sunshine State thermals. Come fly with us! 352- 429- 0213, Groveland, FL, www. questairhanggliding.com

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WALLABY RANCH – The original Aerotow flight park. Best tandem instruction worldwide,7-days a week , 6 tugs, and equipment rental. Call:1-800WALLABY wallaby.com 1805 Deen Still Road, Disney Area FL 33897

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, 1-877-HANGLIDE, 1-877-4264543.

HAWAII PROFLYGHT PARAGLIDING - Call Dexter for

friendly information about flying on Maui. Fullservice school offering beginner to advanced instruction every day, year round. 808-874-5433, paraglidehawaii.com.

INDIANA CLOUD 9 SPORT AVIATION - See Cloud 9 in

Michigan

MARYLAND HIGHLAND AEROSPORTS - Baltimore and DC’s

full-time 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 (hang gliding equipment), North American Soaring (Alatus ultralight sailplane and e-drive systems), Dragon Fly Soaring Club (hang gliding instruction), at Cloud 9 Field, Webberville, MI.More info: (517) 223-8683, Cloud9sa@aol.com, www.DFSCinc. org. 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 Mountain Wings Inc - New location at

77 Hang Glider Rd in Ellenville next to the LZ. We service all brands featuring AEROS and North Wing. 845-647-3377 mtnwings@verizon.net, www.mtnwings.com

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, 845-7443317.

SUSQUEHANNA FLIGHT PARK - Cooperstown New York Serving the North East since 1978. We have the best training hill in New York. Dealers for Wills Wing and others. Trade-ins welcome www. cooperstownhanggliding.com 315-867-8011

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-FLYTHIS, www.kittyhawk.com

Super Fly Paragliding – Come to world famous Point of the Mountain and learn to fly from one of our distinguished instructors. We teach year round and offer some of the best paragliding equipment available. Get your P2 certification, advanced ratings or tandem ratings here. We have a full shop to assist you with any of your free flight needs. 801-255-9595, info@superflyinc.com , www.superflyinc.com.

Gunnison Gliders – X-C, Factory, heavy PVC HG gliderbags $149 Harness packs & zippers. New/used parts, equipment, tubes. 1549 CR 17 Gunnison, CO 81230 970-641-9315

WINGS OVER WASATCH HANG GLIDING - Salt

OXYGEN SYSTEMS – MH-XCR-180 operates to 18,000 ft., weighs only 4 lbs. System includes cylinder, harness, regulator, cannula, and remote on/off flowmeter. $450.00. 1-800-468-8185.

Lake / region 4 area. Certified HANG GLIDING instruction, sales, service. World class training hill! Tours of Utah’s awesome mountains for visiting pilots. DISCOUNT glider/equipment prices. Glider rentals. Tandem flights. Ryan Voight, 801-5992555, www.wingsoverwasatch.com.

VIRGINIA BLUE SKY - Full-time HG instruction.

Daily lessons, scooter, and platform towing. AT towing part time. Custom sewing, powered harnesses, Aeros PG , Flylight and Airborne trikes. More info: (804)241-4324, or www.blueskyhg.com.

HALL WIND METER – Simple. Reliable. Accurate.

Mounting brackets, control-bar wheels. Hall Brothers, PO Box 1010, Morgan, Utah 84050. (801) 829-3232, www.hallwindmeter.com.

SPECIALTY WHEELS for airfoil basetubes, round

basetubes, or tandem landing gear.(262)4738800, www.hanggliding.com.

PUBLICATIONS & ORGANIZATIONS 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.

OHIO

WASHINGTON

SERVICE

CLOUD 9 SPORT AVIATION - See Cloud 9 in

AERIAL PARAGLIDING SCHOOL AND FLIGHT

CLOUD 9 REPAIR DEPARTMENT - We staff and maintain a full service repair shop within Cloud 9 Paragliding; offering annual inspections, line replacement, sail repair of any kind (kites too!), harness repairs and reserve repacks. Our repair technicians are factory trained and certified to work on almost any paraglider or kite. Call today for an estimate 801-576-6460 or visit www.paragliders. com for more information.

Michigan

PUERTO RICO

PARK- Award winning instructors at a world class training facility. Contact: Doug Stroop at 509-7825543, or visit www.paragliding.us

FLY PUERTO RICO WITH TEAM SPIRIT HG! -

INTERNATIONAL

TENNESSEE

BAJA MEXICO - La Salina: PG, HG, PPG www. FLYLASALINA.com. by www.BAJABRENT.com, He’ll hook you up! site intros, tours, & rooms bajabrent@bajabrent.com, 760-203-2658

Flying tours, rentals, tandems, HG and PG classes, H-2 and P-2 intensive Novice courses, full sales. 787-850-0508, tshg@coqui.net.

LOOKOUT MOUNTAIN FLIGHT PARK - Just outside Chattanooga. Become a complete pilot -foot launch, aerotow, mountain launch, ridge soar, thermal soar. hanglide.com, 1-877-HANGLIDE, 877-426-4543.

TEXAS FlyTexas / Jeff Hunt - training pilots in

Central Texas for 25 years. Hangar facilities near Packsaddle Mountain, and Lake LBJ. More info: www.flytexas.com, (512)467-2529

UTAH CLOUD 9 PARAGLIDING - Come visit us and check

out our huge selection of paragliding gear, traction kites, extreme toys, and any other fun things you can think of. If you aren’t near the Point of the Mountain, then head to http://www.paragliders. com for a full list of products and services. We are Utah’s only full time shop and repair facility, Give us a ring at 801-576-6460 if you have any questions.

COME FLY BEAUTIFUL SLOVENIA! - June 2013. Local PG guide, fly and relax - we have it all sorted out for you. Please contact Howie at +19043779540, or howiefly@hotmail.com. COSTA RICA - Grampa Ninja’s Paragliders’ B&B.

Rooms, and/or guide service and transportation. Lessons available from USHPA certified instructors. USA: 908-454-3242. Costa Rica: (Country code, 011) House: 506-2664-6833, Cell: 506-8950-8676, www.paraglidecostarica. com.

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 1-800-861-7198 USA

PARTS & ACCESSORIES 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 1-800-6641160 for orders only. Office 325-379-1567.

Get your annual inspection, repair or

reserve repack done quickly and professionally. Super Fly does more inspections, repairs and repacks than any service center in North America. Call or email for details and more information. 801-255-9595, info@superflyinc.com.

NEW! HERB FENNER is coating paragliders at Torrey. You can expect “Instrument Varified” results in UV A/B, Waterproofing and porosity. “Your Enhanced Glider Stays NEW Longer”, herbfenner@aol.com RISING AIR GLIDER REPAIR SERVICES – A full-service 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.

WANTED Cash for your used harnesses, parachutes,

helmets, etc. Cal atl Rik 269-993-7721, or www. wisconsinhanggliding.com

WANTED - Used variometers, harnesses, parachutes, helmets, etc. Trade or cash. (262) 473-8800, www.hanggliding.com.

HANG GLIDING & PARAGLIDING MAGAZINE

USHPA STORE 2013 CALENDARS | $10.00

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USHPA members receive 10% off the retail value of the membership every year on Medivac+. The Medivac+ program with GEOS can be used in conjunction with the SPOT.

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HANG GLIDING & PARAGLIDING MAGAZINE

O R D E R

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PUBLICATIONS ACROBATICS. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . $41.95 AND THE WORLD COULD FLY. . . . . . . . . . . . . $32.95 ART OF SKY SAILING - A RISK MGMT MANUAL. . . . . . $14.95 ART OF SKY SAILING - A RISK MGMT MANUAL & DVD. . . $55.00 AVIATION WEATHER. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . $24.95 BEST FLYING SITES OF THE ALPS. . . . . . . . . . . . $47.95 BIRDFLIGHT . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . $19.95 CONDOR TRAIL . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . $24.95 CLOUDSUCK. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . $17.95 EAGLES IN THE FLESH. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . $14.95 FLY THE WING. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . $12.95 FLYING RAGS FOR GLORY. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . $47.95 FUNDAMENTALS/INSTRUCTION. . . . . . . . . . . . $12.95 HANG GLIDING TRAIN. MANUAL. . . . . . . . . . . . $29.95 INSTR. MANUAL (HG or PG). . . . . . . . . . . . . $15.00 THE ART OF PARAGLIDING. . . . . . . . . . . . . . $34.95 TOWING ALOFT . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . $29.95 PG-PILOTS TRAIN. MANUAL & DVD. . . . . . . . . . $39.95 PERFORMANCE FLYING . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . $29.95 SECRETS OF CHAMPIONS. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . $29.95

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Be sure to renew your USHPA membership online to participate in the USHPA Green initiative. Online renewal is only available to current members, and members who have been expired less than 3 years. Members who have been expired more than 3 years will not have access to online renewal.

RED BULL X-ALPS 2007. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . $45.95 PURA VIDA FLYING . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . $24.95 RISK & REWARD. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . $29.95 THE PERFECT MTN. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . $36.95 SPEED TO FLY/SECURITY IN FLIGHT. . . . . . . . . . . $48.95 SPEED GLIDING . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . $24.95 STARTING PARAGLIDING. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . $29.95 STARTING HANG GLIDING . . . . . . . . . . . . . . $29.95 STARTING POWER PARAGLIDING . . . . . . . . . . . $36.95 TEMPLE OF CLOUDS. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . $31.95 THREE FLIGHTS. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . $37.95 WEATHER TO FLY . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . $39.95

ACCESSORIES IPPI CARD. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . $10.00 GREETING CARDS. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . $16.00 LICENSE PLATE FRAME (PARAGLIDING ONLY). . . . . . $6.50 MAGAZINE BACK ISSUES. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . $6.95 ORNAMENTS (PARAGLIDING ONLY). . . . . . . . . . $12.00 RATING CERTIFICATE . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . $10.00 USHGA / USHPA STICKERS. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . $1.00

HANG GLIDING & PARAGLIDING MAGAZINE

ON GLIDE

by Steve Messman

BELATED HAPPY HOLIDAY WISHES I’ve been writing this page for many years; in fact, my first article for this magazine was published in October of 2005. In all that time I can’t remember writing a single happy-holiday article. Aside from one shot at an “April Fool” story, I simply haven’t written anything holiday-ish. I thought about this as a problem for a while and began to consider the issue as a function of my practical side: that non-festive part of me that desires order and answers and rational reasons for everything. But all that mumbo jumbo has nothing to do with it, really. It’s not that I am not festive or way too practical (as I often am). It turns out that the real cause for my lack of holiday writing is that I am a pilot. By now we have certainly passed the Thanksgiving holiday season. Thanksgiving, as the name implies, should put us in the mind of being thankful. It does, for some. My wife and her group of Facebook friends used the month of November to post some special tidbit to be thankful for every day. On the actual holiday our family stacked platters of food on the table, the counter, the end tables, and we sat together to express “thankfulness.” To me, the holiday is especially important for that “we sat together” part. Togetherness first, thankfulness second. As a pilot, I recognize and appreciate

HANG GLIDING & PARAGLIDING MAGAZINE

that fact. First we gather together, and then we give thanks for one more day of life, one more day of family, for success, for health, for good fortune, and for many and safe flights. What pilot doesn’t believe this? What pilot doesn’t do this every month of the year? Every day? Every flight? This year’s Black Friday and Cyber Monday, the two days of the year that do little more than launch thousands of shoppers into surreal heights of synthetic Christmas spirit, have also long passed. There are folks in the world who would like for you to believe that shopping is what Christmas is all about. It’s not. Christmas is about giving of the heart; it’s about spiritual uplifting; it’s about community and family and friends joining together in celebration. As a pilot, I know these values well, and I appreciate them far beyond Christmas. We all do. As a group, pilots are all about family, and we recognize as family and friends those who are far beyond the reach of relation. As a group we are all about giving, and we share our gifts and talents with all who show even a spark of interest and often with those who have no idea. And what person will ever doubt that pilots are certainly into spiritual uplifting, and most certainly, who could truthfully deny that pilots are into joyous celebration? That’s why I have never written a happy-holiday essay. The holiday spirit

is ingrained into the soul of a pilot. It’s what we do—every day. Mountains and coastlines trigger our holidays be they in November or June. We meet as strangers on mountaintops; we join together in a common purpose, and we celebrate as family. We stand in a kind of biblical awe while we overlook the beauty that lies below, and it is there, on that mountainside, that we give thanks. Our gazes traverse the valleys. We accept the trees and grasses, the rocks and river deltas, the very clouds as special gifts, and we know that the most spectacular gift of all, the gift of pure and noiseless flight, awaits us. Soon, when the time for giving thanks gives way to the time of celebration, we take to the air. We join together in our beautiful, celebratory dance that is aerial ballet. Flight is our Thanksgiving, our Christmas, our rebirth, and our uplifting. It is so for pilots. Family and friends, thanksgiving and celebration, renewal, rebirth, and spiritual uplifting are life’s constants. These are values rather than appointments on a calendar. These are strong and balanced forces that give flight its truest meaning: that single definition that can only be felt, only be described, be carried only in the soul of one individual—the pilot. So, be it belated, or even necessary, I sincerely hope you had a very happy and joyous holiday season, and if I made it to press in time, have a wonderful and safe new year. May it be filled with family, friends, and success in whatever way you measure it.

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EPSILON 7 is Complete Pleasure The new EPSILON 7 is a coherent and complete package, confidently continuing the EPSILON series, catering for the thermally- inclined recreational pilot. True to our 25 year philosophy, a genuine ADVANCE product, fully meeting our own high requirements, finished down to the last detail. • Simple and compact • Direct and precise • Same pilot demands as the EPSILON 6 • About 5 kg for the 26 • Expanded weight range

Advance Axess 3 Air 2nd Rev, Swiss Precision

Plus Max Optional Chin Guard & Ear Covers

Flytec Sonic Vario Helmet Mounted

Ascent Wrist-mounted GPS Vario

Yeasu FT-270 Radio Rugged Reliability

Gin One-G Fast-Opening LIght Weight

Gin Verso Best Selling Light-weight Convertible Harness/Rucksack

Learn to fly! Need equipment? We have everything you need for paragliding… At Super Fly it’s all about the pilot. You are at the center of everything we do.

info@superflyinc.com

…

Nova MENTOR 3: Ultimate EN-B Glider! “The development took longer than we expected, and the result is better than what we hoped for”, says Nova. As a follow up to the wildly successful Mentor 2, we suspect newest version promises to be one of the best EN B paragliders ever made. Go Pro HD Hero 3 High Performance Digital Camera Gin Genie Lite Light weight Convenient Performance

Building on the Mentor 2 planform, Nova has squeezed extra performance out of the new wing by re-shaping the wingtips, reducing the amount of brake lines, and using 3D shaping technology for the airfoil. The changes result in a 0.6 increase in glide ratio over its predecessor- the largest improvement Nova has ever made from one generation to the next. • Considerably higher performance than Mentor 2; minimum +0.6 L/D • SAME demands on the pilot as Mentor 2

FlyMaster Nav GPS/Vario Flight Computer

• More comfortable brake tension • The ultimate XC-paraglider in the EN-B category.

Beamer 2 Slow, Steady Control Gin Combi Rescue Container Flight Deck

Question? Just call or email us!

801. 255. 9595