Hang Gliding & Paragliding Vol47-Iss1 Jan-Feb 2017

JANUARY/FEBRUARY 2017 Volume 47 Issue 1 $6.95

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HANG GLIDING & PARAGLIDING MAGAZINE

For change of address or other USHPA business:

+1 (719) 632-8300 info@ushpa.aero

Martin Palmaz, Executive Director executivedirector@ushpa.aero Beth Van Eaton, Operations Manager office@ushpa.aero Galen Anderson, Membership Coordinator membership@ushpa.aero Julie Spiegler, Program Manager programs@ushpa.aero

USHPA OFFICERS & EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE Paul Murdoch, President president@ushpa.aero Alan Crouse, Vice President vicepresident@ushpa.aero Steve Rodrigues, Secretary secretary@ushpa.aero Mark Forbes, Treasurer treasurer@ushpa.aero

COVER SHOT BY

Nancy Bloom Launching on Cape Cod. Clear!

REGION 1: Rich Hass, Mark Forbes. REGION 2: Jugdeep Aggarwal, Josh Cohn, Jon James. REGION 3: Ken Andrews, Pete Michelmore, Alan Crouse. REGION 4: Bill Belcourt, Ken Grubbs. REGION 5: Josh Pierce.

REGION 6: Tiki Mashy. REGION 7: Paul Olson. REGION 8: Michael Holmes. REGION 9: Felipe Amunategui, Larry Dennis. REGION 10: Bruce Weaver, Steve Kroop, Matt Taber. REGION 11: Tiki Mashy. REGION 12: Paul Voight. DIRECTORS AT LARGE: Paul Murdoch, Steve Rodrigues, Greg Kelley, Jamie Shelden, Mitch Shipley. 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.

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.

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 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.

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USA

HANG GLIDING

PARAGLIDING &

Official Publication of the United States Hang Gliding & Paragliding Association

2017

JANUARY / FEBRUARY

FLY SMART

5 LIVE WELL 5 GO FAR

Martin Palmaz, Publisher executivedirector@ushpa.aero Nick Greece, Editor editor@ushpa.aero Greg Gillam, Art Director art.director@ushpa.aero C.J. Sturtevant, Copy Editor copy@ushpa.aero Kristjan Morgan, Advertising advertising@ushpa.aero Staff Writers Annette O'Neil Dennis Pagen Jeff Shapiro C.J. Sturtevant

Photographers John Heiney Jeff Shapiro

SUBMISSIONS HANG GLIDING & PARAGLIDING welcomes 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 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.

ADVERTISING ALL ADVERTISING AND ADVERTISING INQUIRIES MUST BE 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.

HANG GLIDING & PARAGLIDING (ISSN 1543-5989) (USPS 17970) is published monthly by the United States Hang Gliding and Paragliding Association, Inc., 1685 W. Uintah St., Colorado Springs, CO, 80904, (719) 632-8300, FAX (719) 6326417. Periodical postage is paid at Colorado Springs, CO and at additional mailing offices.

POSTMASTER Send change of address to: USPA, 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

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AIRS UPDATE

ALL HANDS ON DECK

UNDERSTANDING AEROLOGY

THINKING OUTSIDE THE BLOCKS

A look at how members help to build the database.

Staying on top of your rescue skills could save a life.

Fizzy and sticky conditions covered in a book excerpt.

Part XXVI Inner Neanderthals

MITCH SHIPLEY

GAVIN McCLURG

CHRIS RANCONT

DENNIS PAGEN

COPYRIGHT ©2016 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.

CAPE COD

18

Making the Most of the Coast

M

y new year’s resolution is to make the perfect circle in the sky.

One of the things that keeps so many

coming back for more, whether it be flying a hang glider or a paraglider, is the pursuit of the conditions, the experience, and the currency to carve the perfect turn in the sky. This year, at USHPA, it’s been a rocky

by JON ATWOOD

ride with a lot of new policies, events, and insurance issues that have jarred us from our normal obsessing over wind, sun, and

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PROMISED LAND

airtime. But as we go into the winter months, and things are beginning to settle

Canaan Valley Resort

from a tiny hill, or soaring in a smooth breeze by the ocean, the turn is the most

by ANNETTE O'NEIL

important part of every flight. Our aircraft fly extremely well, with little input,

down, let’s return to thinking about what makes each of us giddy about these amazing sports. Whether it’s a sled ride in smooth air, thermaling up and out

straight and level, but when you are talking non-motorized flight it is in the turn where the differences are made. And so I would like to challenge you to execute the perfect turn in the coming year, because the journey to find this will be

44

COUPE ICARE Semi-unofficial Guide

by TIM MEEHAN

much more compelling than the goal—guaranteed.

2017 starts off with an issue that spans the gamut starting with an amazing new tool implemented over a year ago to collect accident data with the hopes of identifying trends to prevent repetition of known factors that cause accidents, injuries, and fatalities. More than 100 people took the time to submit their accidents, both major and minor, on the confidential website, www.airs.ushpa. aero, creating a strong beginning of an effective database that all active pilots can learn from. This powerful tool will help us lower accident rates, and it’s a

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CHELAN

program that every pilot can actively participate in to be part of that change. If

2016 Paragliding Nationals

by JAMES "KIWI" JOHNSTONE

you see, or are involved in, an incident or accident, please submit a report. Along those lines, Gavin McClurg was involved in a rescue this year in the Big Lost Mountains and learned a plethora of valuable lessons that might help you in the unfortunate case that you are part of an accident response team.

USHPA's magazine tapped East Coast pilots to highlight two flying arenas

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worth a visit, one new and one old. Jon Atwood reports in from life under wing

TRAVEL HACKS

on Cape Cod. A bi-wingual pilot, Jon has lived free flight with a boundless passion since the 1990s. USHPA’s newest site, New Canaan, also serves as a prime

Roam Like a Boss

example of what local pilots armed with best practices, site insurance, connec-

by NICK GREECE

tions to the Foundation for Free Flight, and an amenable park ranger can do.

Annette O’Neil’s article showcases New Canaan and the work of a dedicated group of pilots in West Virginia.

James “Kiwi” Johnstone is back with another review of one of the world’s best

BRIEFINGS

8

competition venues: Chelan, Washington. This year Matt Senior pulled off a

AIRMAIL

9

flawless competition, which also saw the longest task in a competition, ever, in

CENTERFOLD

34

guide to the most extravagant free-flight fly-in the world over—Coupe Icare.

CALENDAR

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CLASSIFIED

61

RATINGS

64

FINAL

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the world. If competition is not your thing then check out Tim Meehan’s travel Finally, Dennis Pagen is back with another critical installment in his master class on hang gliding, and C.J. Sturtevant profiles the oldest active hang glider pilot in the US, Otto Von Rosen, who completed five flights on his 90th birthday.

All of us at USHPA wish you safe launches and landings, and hope you enjoy the search for the perfect turn as much as we do!

HANG GLIDING & PARAGLIDING MAGAZINE

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PILOT BRIEFINGS

NEWS + PRODUCTS + ANNOUNCEMENTS

Flymaster USA is proud to an-

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surfing, and mountain biking.

For more information check

nology developed for the LiveSD and GpsSD+. The Tracker features a pressure sensor, so its flight log can be used to

out FlymasterUSA.com.

generate IGC data which includes the

Make a $250 donation to

compulsory barometric altitude. Also

the USHPA General Fund today and

built in is an accelerometer and RF

receive a Free Flight Forever t-shirt as

module that can communicate with the

our thank-you gift! Super soft 100%

Heart-G or TAS Probe.

combed-cotton tee that's light and

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comfortable to move in. Available in

strength polycarbonate combined with

Blue or Gray.

a rubber exterior, making it extremely

Make a $1000 donation to the

robust and water resistant, so it can be

USHPA General Fund today and receive a Free Flight Forever jacket as our thank-you gift! 100% polyester soft shell with bonded fleece interior, light snow and water resistant.

Visit ushpastore.com to purchase yours.

USHPA 2017 SPRING Board of Directors Meeting March 2-5 Golden, CO info at www.ushpa.org

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2017

TECHNICAL

2017

books + videos + calendars + cards 8

HANG GLIDING & PARAGLIDING MAGAZINE

PACKS KEEN

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SEE THE ENTIRE LINEUP @ ushpastore.com

AIRMAIL

TO THE EDITOR

Every other year, for the past five years, I’ve been having a great time by entering a float in the 4th of July parade in Aspen, Colorado. The first year, I had the help of three hang glider pilots: Jeff Mallin, Polly Ross and Pete Walsh. Our entry was such a success I had to continue.

I own a sweet 1979 International Scout that I raised 7 1/2 inches with 35-inch-tall tires—so it’s “up there pretty good.” One day when I had the glider set up in my yard and the Scout parked in the driveway, I remember wondering how my glider would look on top of it. So I asked my neighbor, who thought I was crazy, to help me hoist the U2 to the top, where it sits for the parade.

I entered the parade in conjunction with my business, High Altitude Builders, and the once-renowned Aspen Airforce. I’m just about the last remaining hang glider pilot still flying from those days in the ‘80s and ‘90s when we had around 35 club members!

The last few years, without pilots to help me, I started asking my family.

Now, my adult daughters, Stephanie and Jennifer, ask every year if we are going to be in the parade. The entire family has so much FUN! My future son-in-law drives, my stepson, along with his family, and, yes, even my ex, pitch in. This year, I towed a decorated trailer containing a large tub of water used by the grandkids to squirt the onlookers. Seeing those kids smiling and having so much fun…that is what life is all about!

But we can’t forget the men and woman who risk their lives so WE have the FREEDOM to fly! God bless our troops and God bless America!

Safe Flying, Dennis Kisow

HANG GLIDING & PARAGLIDING MAGAZINE

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Flying the Bay | photo by Eric Blum

AIRS UPDATE

by Mitch Shipley, Director at Large and HG Co-Chair of the Accident Review Committee

It’s been one year since the

base. You helped us achieve a long-

lessons learned from incidents of our

Accident/Incident Reporting System

time dream—a database protected by

fellow pilots.

(AIRS) went live. Let’s look at where

a Federal Certificate of Confidentiality

we are, how we are doing, and where

(COC) that allows us to gather infor-

in the database, we now have some

we want to go.

mation for the analyses of accidents/

700+ data fields from which to derive

incidents and publish the results.

lessons learned. As the rather large

people who took the time to make the

This data will help reduce the inher-

number suggests, not all fields are ap-

reports we have stored in the data-

ent risks of our sport by developing

plicable to all accidents or incidents.

First, a big thank you to the 100+

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HANG GLIDING & PARAGLIDING MAGAZINE

For each of the 140-or-so reports

Information derived from your past accidents/ incidents is equally valuable as that provided by the current ones, so please submit them! Your input is vital to the success of the effort. examples of simple analysis products

sample size. Statistical determination

contained in our database are given

formulas are particularly messy and,

below.

of course, depend on the probability

Statistical Significance As we first looked at how best to

estimate among many factors.

That said, basic principles, like the

display the data to membership, an

central limit theorem and normal

approximation of where we are in our

(Gaussian) distributions, are good

quest became clear. First, we real-

guides that suggest a minimum

ized that 140 total reports were not

number, like 500 to 1000, are needed

enough to derive statistically signifi-

for meaningful results.

cant results about anything.

The database was designed to be as

distribution of what you are trying to

Upon reviewing the number of

Second, it is important to recognize that as we parse our total reports into

inclusive and comprehensive as pos-

reports needed for statistical signifi-

smaller samples—say, listing only

sible, so as to allow the most flexibil-

cance, I remembered what I didn’t

incidents on landing—we both reduce

ity in future analyses—even ones that

like about statistics—they depend on

our sample size and the indepen-

might not yet have been considered.

One consequence of such a flexible approach is that it takes time to learn how to most effectively use the data.

Each new approach requires that another search algorithm be designed to extract meaningful data. And, then, the task arises of how to best present the relevant information to the membership.

Please know our primary goal is to get information to you. With this goal in mind, we will continue to improve the timeliness and quality of information that we deliver.

We continue to seek your feedback and ideas about what information will be most useful for our membership and how best to convey it. We need to recognize the boundary condition of anonymity that the COC requires and the fact that it only allows aggregate-analysis-type data to be shared—not individual raw data from which one might derive personal identifying information. With that boundary condition in mind, some

HANG GLIDING & PARAGLIDING MAGAZINE

11

dence of each sample. For example, in the chart below of “Reports by Phase of Flight,” several of the “In Flight” incident reports were also categorized as “On Landing,” because the reporter felt that the incident during landing was precipitated by the in-flight decisions that resulted in a poor or nonexistent LZ being available. Because of these facts, we have placed a “Preliminary” watermark across the plots displayed in this article to remind folks of these limitations.

With this caveat, however, we can make a plausible observation that our incidents seem fairly well balanced

INJURED? HAD A CLOSE CALL?

Report it on AIRS! airs.ushpa.aero

US Hang Gliding & Paragliding Association

AIRS

AIRS IS STANDING BY - FILE A REPORT TODAY! All AIRS reports are completely confidential

with respect to phase of flight—with launching incidents being the least

dominate, constituting 100 of the 142

commonly reported.

reports.

History of Data

accepted data from past years. We

tically significant and non-indepen-

With the above caveat of our not

have some reports dating back to

dent thoughts mentioned previously.

having statistically significant

2008 that can be very useful in help-

One would be wrong to come to the

numbers yet, let’s look at a few other

ing us establish statistically sig-

conclusion from the chart below that

categories of interest.

nificant trends, as well as archiving

some 5% of our incidents are fatal.

First, let’s determine where our

It is worth noting that AIRS easily

significant events. Consequently,

Again, this type of observation should be considered in light of statis-

data came from by year. This ar-

we encourage members to submit

Incidents by Wing Type

ticle was being written at the end

reports from past years in order to

A perennially favorite question is

of September 2016, and 4th-quarter

continue to increase our numbers.

how incidents stack up by wing type.

2016 data was not yet available.

Nevertheless, the 2016 reports

Injury Data

reason, along with the comment that no real conclusions can be reached

ports of injuries to our fellow pilots,

from such a single chart (i.e., that one

as preventing future injuries is the

wing type is less risky than the other).

The chart below illustrates that

The chart makes general sense, due to the membership numbers of the

pilots are making reports even when

different types of wings, but it should

there are no injuries, which is to be

be kept in mind that this is just a pre-

encouraged. But just because pilots

sentation of reports that are success-

were not injured doesn’t mean noth-

fully submitted.

ing can be learned from the incident report.

The chart also indicates that

HANG GLIDING & PARAGLIDING MAGAZINE

The chart below is shown for that

We are definitely interested in re-

primary goal of AIRS.

12

them.

MULTIVARIATE ANALYSES The simple single metric type plots

incident reports cover the full spec-

above are interesting, but a fair ques-

trum of injury severity and, as such,

tion is whether more sophisticated

implies that not all incidents are in

multivariate analyses can be done.

the database. It seems as if more in-

The short answer is yes.

cidents resulting in significant injury

The database was specifically de-

are being reported, perhaps because

signed to allow analyses across many,

pilots feel more inclined to report

many different contributing factors,

five minutes, a summary report can easily be completed that gives us the basics of the incident. Following that, the reporter is then invited to provide as much (or as little) additional detail of the incident as possible.

This follow-up can take as much as an hour, depending on the verbosity and preparation of the reporter as he/ she inputs the data. Although one can take breaks during the data entry, once the report is completed, by clicking “Finished,” there is no way to go back and retrieve the report for editing, nor is it possible to get a printout or an electronic copy of the report.

These are the limitations from having the data reside in a COC-compliant database.

Member Involvement That is the one-year anniversary update on USHPA’s new Accident/ and we did our best to make them

bilities, it would be more meaningful

Incident Reporting System. Since

easy-check boxes that reporters could

if we could look at several hundred

none of the progress would have been

click to select.

launch incidents instead of 12. So

possible without member involve-

please keep the reports coming!

ment and reporting, we actively

In addition to the categories shown in the previous charts, examples from

In addition to seeking your ideas

encourage you to contact us with your

the database include: latitude/longi-

on how to use the AIRS data, we are

tude, time of day, altitude of launch/

reaching out to other outdoor-rec-

landing, wing loading, wind speed/

reation organizations to share what

made that historic reports are im-

direction/gust factor, launch method,

we are doing in risk management

portant, can be made in AIRS, and

common factors in launch/landing

and learn how they approach theirs.

are encouraged. Information derived

incidents, emergency service require-

What certainly is true is that without

from your past accidents/incidents

ments, specific body parts injured,

data (i.e., your reports) we have little

is equally valuable as that provided

pilot rating and proficiency history,

chance to make progress in this im-

by the current ones, so please submit

and equipment details. Pictures,

portant area. We thank you for your

them! Your input is vital to the suc-

videos and track log files can also be

efforts to date.

cess of the effort.

FEEDBACK & ExpectationS

for pilots. We hope to learn from all of

uploaded for analyses and often are the best objective evidence available.

ideas and concerns.

Once again, the point should be

This is a system designed by pilots

So has it all been roses in the first

our experiences to promote safety for

example of a two-variable analysis

year? Of course not. We had many

current and future members.

using wind speed and wind direction.

of the typical startup issues (i.e.,

The data come from 12 reported foot-

software timeouts, lockups, user/

launch incidents extracted from 31

developer confusion as to what data

total incidents that identified launch

fields meant, etc.), and we thank the

as being the primary phase of flight

members who pointed them out as

for the incident. While the reader can

we worked our way through them.

ponder the significance of such a plot

One positive aspect of AIRS that

and brainstorm about the other possi-

has worked well is that in about

The chart above presents a simple

To contact us with feedback, either use the USHPA Online Feedback Form or send an email to accident_hg@ushpa. aero or accident_pg@ushpa.aero.

HANG GLIDING & PARAGLIDING MAGAZINE

13

ALL HANDS ON DECK

by GAVIN McCLURG

My radio has been silent

high base, and a booming cloudstreet

last time I saw him, and we are in

for several minutes as I climb fast

forming right on line with our goal:

very remote terrain. Trey is a solid

through 16,000 feet heading for

Bozeman, Montana. No one has ever

pilot who is used to the big air of the

cloudbase. At least 12 experienced

made it to Bozeman. At 340 kilome-

Intermountain West. Had he thrown

pilots are within a few kilometers of

ters, it is a monster flight, but with a

his reserve? Did he have enough time?

one another, loosely grouped together

strong gaggle of pilots who fly fast, this

How badly is he hurt? What do we do

55 kilometers east of launch, heading

could be our chance.

now?

for the Big Lost Range in Idaho. We’ve

On this ill-fated day, a solid group

been in the air for two hours and are

terrible scream. “AAAHHHH!” Is some-

of individuals came together as a

covering ground fast. Nate Scales, Bill

one just hypoxic? Is that euphoria or

team and got Trey out of a desperate

Belcourt, Matt Beechinor and several

terror? Nate Scales clicks his micro-

situation in a remarkably short time,

other air Jedis are overtaking me on

phone and asks for whoever is calling

especially considering the location’s

a better line to my north. I haven’t

to relax and repeat the message.

remoteness and terrain. This incident

seen this many wings in the air in Sun Valley since the World Cup in 2012; it is starting to shape up as the best day of the year. Ear-popping climbs, super-

14

Suddenly my radio erupts with a

HANG GLIDING & PARAGLIDING MAGAZINE

“I crashed! I’m hurt bad. I broke my femur!”

It’s Trey Hackney, our buddy from Jackson Hole. He’d been low the

also made us realize how critical it is to be prepared for any mishap, because accidents can and will happen.

Cross-country pilots need to have the

right equipment, sufficient rescue

#1 priority (he repeated this several

training, and a good understanding

times) is (no matter what): DO NOT

of wilderness first response and first

put yourself at undue risk. He encour-

aid if they spend time in tiger country.

aged all of us to fly safe and make good

Before you head off on your next big

decisions. Trey crashed at 1 p.m. in the

flight, make sure you and those with

Rocky Mountains on a booming day

whom you fly, are really prepared. Ask

and he was in a dicey spot. Landing

yourself: If something goes wrong, do

near him would be extremely risky; in

we have the tools and experience to

fact, just landing would be dangerous.

deal with the situation?

DON’T MAKE THINGS WORSE. Communications. Matt Beechinor

The first thing professional rescue and medical teams do after any

was high and had cell service, but we

mission is conduct a comprehensive

knew that once anyone went low, that

debriefing to identify what went right

person would have no coverage. Nate

and what went wrong.

made a critical call, asking Matt to

Our debrief revealed the following:

stay in the air as the rest of us headed

Leadership. Having a leader is criti-

either towards Trey or towards the

cal. A leader is someone who observes,

closest road, where we could assemble

keeps a cool head, and communicates

a rescue party on the ground. I don’t

needs clearly. A leader helps every-

know how he did it, but Matt circled

one slow down and THINK. Within

around for three hours between

seconds of getting Trey’s call, Nate

15,000 and our legal limit of 18,000

told Trey to relax as much as possible,

feet, calling Search and Rescue in two

asked him to tell us what he could

him that help was on the way. He then

counties on his phone, while constant-

about his condition, and reassured

communicated to the team that the

ly relaying all the information to us on

Chase Your Dreams W W W. W I L L S W I N G. C O M

his radio (and vice versa). Eventually, he was able to get Lifeflight helicopter rescue to come in from Rexburg, about an hour away by air.

Cross-country pilots need to have the right equipment, sufficient rescue training, and a good understanding of wilderness first response and first aid.

Resources. Get EVERY resource you can. We ended up carrying Trey on a litter about a half a mile. The terrain

units have were absolutely critical in

bound helicopter, which the heli team

was steep and choked with sagebrush,

speeding up this rescue work. Have

thanked him for several times. If you

but it could have been a lot worse. We

the maps in your area downloaded.

have oxygen, USE IT. Administering

had eight very fit, strong guys, and it

Have your phone linked to your unit

O2 helps the delivery of oxygen to

was absolutely brutal work. You need

via Bluetooth and know how to use the

the tissues and is useful for treating

people, you need equipment, and you

Earthmate application. Keep your unit

low blood pressure resulting from

need everything and everyone you can

on your flight deck or shoulder—some-

blood loss, dehydration, shock and

get.

where within easy reach, in case you

head injury. You’ll never do any harm

go in hard.

by giving O2! Have a pen and paper

Mobilize your own flying community first. They WILL BE a lot faster and

handy and monitor the victim’s vitals

minimize the situation or make any

so you can pass them along to the

who have to jump through legal hoops

optimistic assumptions. Your friend is

medical team. We all should be flying

and may not have resources to extend.

hurt, and you need help: GET IT. You

with enough pain medication to antici-

Do you have the local phone numbers

can always call off help. Be profes-

pate a long rescue. We didn’t adminis-

for fire and rescue in your phone? Do

sional. Stay calm.

ter any pain meds to Trey, before the medical nurses arrived on the helicop-

you have a HAM license? Do you know

Monitor the victim. Three heroic

how to use the radio repeaters in your

pilots landed in the vicinity of Trey

ter, but they said we should have. If

area? Most of us didn’t, and it slowed

and got to him within minutes of the

you do administer it, you need to keep

us down.

crash. Reavis Sutphin-Gray not only

notes on exactly when it was adminis-

had a solid first aid kit, but also an

tered and exactly how much was given.

Most of us had Delorme InReach devic-

emergency blanket that he used to

They recommended we should only

es. The two-way texting that Delorme

create a massive windsock for the in-

administer it if it is imperative and we

Don’t fly without a tracking device.

16

Tell the story you need to tell. Don’t

more helpful than Search and Rescue,

HANG GLIDING & PARAGLIDING MAGAZINE

have formal training in narcotics use.

First-aid kit. A proper first-aid and gear kit includes at least these items: Firestarter (petroleum jelly and cotton

and a lot of water and a lot of exposure. Have enough to sustain you and a little bit more.

Insurance. Make sure you are

balls, or dryer lint), sleeping bag,

covered. Make sure the insurance

emergency blanket, lighter, pen and

you have doesn’t have a flying excep-

paper, super glue, pain meds, iodine

tion (many do). And MAKE SURE you

tablets (which can also be used for

have Lifeflight or similar insurance.

sterilization), gauze, head lamp (re-

In our area a Lifeflight membership is

verse the battery so it doesn’t turn on

$60 per year and covers your spouse

by accident), Leatherman, hook knife

as well. Every pilot in the US should

(attached somewhere you can reach

have it in areas where Lifeflight

it in case you throw your reserve on a

flies. The GEOS MEDIVAC plan (NOT

windy day).

the GEOS SAR plan) offered through

Be CAREFUL. Three pilots landed

your Delorme or SPOT membership

near the accident in a dicey area. They

covers paragliding and hang gliding

had to take chances, even though

internationally as long as you are 99

they were unhappy about it. They are

miles from home. (GEOS told us they

expert pilots who felt comfortable

vastly prefer Delorme for rescues.) You

making a big move, and doing so radi-

should also consider a policy from a

cally improved Trey’s situation and

provider like SevenCorners with a haz-

the speed of his rescue. But don’t be a

ardous sports rider, or Global Rescue if

hero if you aren’t totally confident you

you are flying abroad.

can pull it off. Be honest with where your head is; adrenaline can do funny

Before you head out on your

things. Bottom line: You need guys on

next flight, take some time to review

the scene, and they can’t screw up.

what you’re packing and ask yourself

Monitor XCFind. If people are flying

if you’re covered if something goes

in your community, it is your respon-

wrong. Call a meeting with your local

sibility to monitor your buddies. Even

community and discuss this accident

if you aren’t flying on a particular day,

or others you’ve seen happen and

build up your karma points by keep-

make sure you’re prepared. Trey had

ing an eye on your friends. We had

to put up with a ton of pain, but he

people show up, because they were

crashed a paraglider and only suffered

home watching XCFind and could tell

a broken leg, which is lucky. He’ll be

something was wrong.

back in the air in no time. The bottom

Pack up your wing. If you are rescu-

line is we are all participating in an

ing someone, as soon as you land you

absurdly amazing sport, but one that

need to ball up your wing. At a US

isn’t very forgiving of mistakes. We

Nationals in the Owens, a wing left out

can increase the odds by being ready

caused a ton of confusion and slowed

and prepared for the worst, which will

down the rescue. Another reminder

hopefully never happen.

for us not to rush.

Fly safe, everyone.

Food, water, sunblock. We got Trey out in about three hours. It was hot and dry, and we were up near 9000 feet in the Idaho desert in the middle of the day. If the helicopter hadn’t been available, the rescue would have taken all night. That’s a lot of calories

Trey would like to thank the following people for getting him to safety: Bill Belcourt, Nate Scales, Matt Beechinor, Rob Curran, Reavis Sutphin-Gray, Mike Pfau, Evan Bouchier, Gavin McClurg, and the amazing Lifeflight team.

CAPE COD Getting the Most from the Coast

by JON ATWOOD

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HANG GLIDING & PARAGLIDING MAGAZINE

“As you fly, you see the lighthouse’s flashing beacon far in the distance, beckoning you toward it. We follow this guiding light, just as sailors have done for hundreds of years.”

I

’ve had the honor of soaring hang and paragliders

stormy weather, so timing the wind before the rain can be

in Region 8 since the 1990s. New England pilots are

tricky.

primarily mountain pilots, but during the off-season,

The launch faces ENE, and typical target soaring winds,

we turn to the sea and get the most from our coast. Flying

as measured at the cliff’s edge, are 10-15mph for para-

dates are governed by the Town of Wellfleet’s beach-use

gliders and 15-25mph for hang glider pilots. Conditions

rules that state hang and paragliders may fly from the be-

can vary greatly, depending on the pilot and wing, so, as

ginning of October until April 14. Cape Cod, Massachusetts,

always, know your personal limits. We use the NOAA wind

offers 15 miles of soarable ridges over pristine National

forecast for Wellfleet, multiplied by 1.5, to guestimate the

Seashore dunes.

winds we’ll find at launch. I’m a big fan of measuring with

The Cape Cod National Seashore is home to abundant

a wind meter and logging every flight. Soaring these small

soaring birds, including red-tailed hawks, osprey, and

dunes demands that we fly in much more velocity than

dozens of varieties of seagulls. Pilots often spot seals and

regular mountain flying, so measuring, recording, and

whales from their bird’s-eye view. We launch off the 60- to

maintaining a healthy safety margin is essential.

80-foot-high sand dunes at White Crest Beach into a strong but smooth eastern sea breeze, midway between two

Once we’re blessed by east winds without rain or snow, we need to coordinate our flying with the tide. High tides

historic lighthouses. Nauset Light marks the southern end of these soarable dunes, while Highland Light is located at the northern end. Trying to soar to one, or both, and make it back to the launch site becomes a cross-country adventure. As you fly, you see the lighthouse’s flashing beacon far in the distance, beckoning you toward it. We follow this guiding light, just as sailors have done for hundreds of years.

HISTORY In 1928, German pilots set up the first glider school in the United States on Cape Cod. Ralph S. Barnaby flew for 15 minutes from Corn Hill in Truro, exceeding the nineminute, forty-five-second American motorless record set

by Orville Wright. The glider schools folded in the 1930s at the time of the Great Depression.

In the early 1970s, hang glider pilots once again began soaring the dunes and haven’t stopped since. Rob Stewart stills flies and teaches hang gliding at his ECO-Flight school in Massachusetts.

The Seascape Motor Inn in Truro offered lodging and launching on the west side of the Cape for more than three decades and also was home to an annual Halloween Fly-in, until its closure in 2012. John Sillero is seen on page 21 soaring the Seascape during its final season.

PLANNING TO FLY COASTAL Finding the elusive right coastal winds to fly on Cape Cod can be difficult. It usually takes a low-pressure system to the south to transform the prevailing western winds into an eastern sea breeze. This type of system often precedes

TOP The author soaring Cape Cod at sunset | photo by

Nick Caci. BOTTOM Paragliders flying White Crest beach | photo by Nancy Bloom.

HANG GLIDING & PARAGLIDING MAGAZINE

19

FLIGHT Air traffic often becomes congested around launch, so once we’re in the air, we usually start to explore. If you are able to soar around launch, the Nauset Lighthouse to the south makes an easy trip. Southern dunes are smaller, but have no gaps.

Many pilots use a GPS/vario to monitor windspeed. I learned to fly old school, without instruments, and still prefer to just read the surf. With a little practice, you learn to watch the ocean like a wise old sailor. Waves that start showing white caps indicate it’s getting strong. The size and texture of waves reveal wind velocity, while their lines show direction. You can spot an approaching gust front coming from far away, with plenty of time to land.

After tagging the Nauset Light and making it back up to launch, we head vary in height, and the beach changes shape every year.

north for the Highland Light. This is a much more chal-

Some high tides bring the surf right up to the dune’s edge,

lenging flight, due to a couple of formidable gaps in the

making beach landings impossible. Flying in temperatures

dunes. Crossing these gaps takes practice, persistence,

ranging from 30° to 50° Fahrenheit is common. We keep

timing, and skill. My advice: Enjoy a good long flight first;

hands warm by using bar mitts as hang glider pilots and

then go for it. If you land while trying, you’ve at least had a

electric heat gloves as paragliders. I attach the visor to my

nice run.

helmet to protect me from the winter cold. Additionally, pilots should always fly with a hook knife to free them-

We have permission only to launch at White Crest Beach.

Since walking back up the dune causes erosion, you’re not

selves, in case of a surf landing, and devise some method

allowed to relaunch if you land. Even though I’ve often

of securing their wings during set up. The winds at launch

gotten down to 15 feet, I still made it across—so don’t give

can quickly damage a wing. I, for example, use five-gallon

up if you get low. You need to manage your airspeed care-

buckets of sand and a PVC pipe tail stand.

fully, but the real trick is to be ready to land at any point.

THE LAUNCH

Hollow. If you can get across them, the dunes get bigger,

There’s a gap at both Ballston Beach and Newcomb

The most magical time to soar is sunrise. Seeing first light

the beach gets wider, and you’ll usually have smooth sail-

rising over ocean waves, while floating amongst seabirds,

ing until the Highland Light. In the right conditions, with

is a surreal experience. Self-launching is possible in

skill and a little luck, a pilot will launch at White Crest, tag

lighter winds, but a wire crew is required when winds pick

both light houses, and land back in front of the launch.

up. We often recruit a neighbor out walking the beach to

The whole journey is about 30 miles.

assist; they’re usually pretty excited to help out. The cliff edge can be sharp.

As the winds get stronger and/or cross, the assisted

LANDING Landing on the beach is the easy part. We normally learn

windy-cliff launch can be challenging, even for seasoned

to land with a figure-eight or a downwind-base-final

pilots. For hang glider pilots, getting the wing well forward

approach. But for coastal flights, we need to fly out of the

into the airflow and keeping a low angle of attack is key.

ridge lift to come down. The beach is forgiving, but the

Pilots often work together to keep any spectators safely

surf is not. It’s very important to fly while staying parallel

backed away while launches and top landings are active.

to the water. With the slope of the beach and the lifting wind, ground effect can go on forever. So it’s crucial to land

20

HANG GLIDING & PARAGLIDING MAGAZINE

crosswind instead of toward the water. You just need to

in an attempt to make our case. The dates stayed the same,

ignore the direction the nose of the glider points and keep

but the meeting served as a reminder that everyone who

your eyes on the beach.

enjoys flying here needs to respect and protect this unique

THE POLITICS

site.

The local pilots work hard to maintain good relations with

SUMMARY

the town, the park, and the neighbors. It’s very important

Cape Cod is a rare and beautiful place to fly. The flying

to be aware of how our presence affects this fragile eco-

dates last from October 2 to April 14. East to north-east

system. The dunes erode an average of four feet per year,

winds are needed. If you’re going to plan a trip, I recom-

homes have been lost, and more are endangered, so locals

mend late October, with the hope for cooperation of the

take not walking on the dunes very seriously. Picking up

winds.

trash and leaving no trace is essential.

Legal flying dates have been pushed back several times over the years. This year there was a proposal to take away another six weeks. I met with the park superintendent and sat for an interview with the Cape Cod Times newspaper,

Check out the New England Paragliding and Hang Gliding Club website at www.nephc.org or on Facebook for questions, comments or contacts.

Hope to see you all soaring with gulls and getting the most from the coast!

LEFT John Sillero flying Seascape Motor Inn. TOP Steve Leiler and Dana Harris hiking up White Crest. BOTTOM Flying at

the Nauset Light House. Photos by Jon Atwood.

HANG GLIDING & PARAGLIDING MAGAZINE

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22

HANG GLIDING & PARAGLIDING MAGAZINE

WEATHER Understanding Aerology

by KELLY FARINA excerptED from Mastering Paragliding, available in the USHPA store at www.ushpa.org Each day sits somewhere between

a cooler, unstable lapse rate, coupled

Imagine riding a series of hot air bal-

with higher humidity. The air is

loons.

generally rising, resulting in thermals needing less encouragement to

The Sticky Air Mass

leave the terrain, via heat or degree

These are the exact opposite of the

of topography kickoff. Due to trigger-

more buoyant fizzy conditions, and

ing, warm air is less abundant on the

are found within higher atmospheric

two extremes—one being nth degree stable, the other, nth degree unstable.

ground, leading to shorter thermal

pressures, with descending air having

Find yourself on launch when the

cycles, since the climb has less warm

lower humidity, often stagnated by

recipe is just right and a potential

air in reserve, before it’s exhausted–

weeks without nature’s reset, some-

long-haul flight is possible. Too much

both shorter-lived and lower in usable

times providing the welcome cold

one way or another can give you either

altitude.

front. Inversions can plague the air

a frustrating day with little thermal

Lower cloudbase is the result of the

activity or too much, with overdevel-

lower “release” temperature, due to

opment.

lower air pressure (less weight from

The weather, though indifferent to

above effectively), higher humidity

mass, slowing down thermals and creating some unexpected turbulence.

More heating is needed to reach the “release” temperature, in this case due

(less density), and unstable lapse rate

to the descending air (more weight

potential routes available, lines to

(more buoyancy). The dew point is

from above), drier humidity level

take over the terrain, thermal trig-

higher, due to more humidity present,

(higher density) and, of course, a dis-

gers, and even when to launch. It is

leading to condensation at a lower

torted lapse rate lower down, due to

composed of the five elements of air

altitude. So short are these thermal

hot air accumulation (less buoyancy).

our needs, controls how the day feels,

pressure, humidity, lapse rate, wind,

cycles that it’s common for clouds

However, as these climbs take longer

and the potential solar heating avail-

to be disconnected from the ground,

to grow in strength and volume, they

able. The first three elements control

because these bubbles, capsules, or

tend to go higher and last much longer.

the amount of heating required for

columns are so short-lived.

Since they are fewer-and-farther-

the air mass to produce thermals. The

The flyable day may be shorter if

between, there is less competition for

sun runs this equation; we will ignore

enough energy is poured into this

the now abundant warm air at ground

wind for now.

equation. The day may overdevelop or

level.

Another way to explain this spec-

spread out, cutting off the heat source

With a lower dew point, due to less

trum is by using the words “fizzy,”

of this “excitable” day. However, it

humidity, the climb can reach hypoxic

meaning unstable, and “sticky,” mean-

might start earlier.

altitudes with this extra energy. The

ing more stable. Each of these con-

Due to there being less accumula-

forming clouds are practically in

tion of warm air at ground level, the

orbit, when compared to its fizzier

chances of restitution are slim. Climbs

counterpart. When the climb eventu-

can feel less hard-edged, as the range

ally spikes through the deep, warm

This type of air mass is usually found

of temperature between the rising

layer below, its buoyancy is, as per

in lower atmospheric pressures with

air and its environment is smaller.

usual, controlled by the day’s lapse

notes very different characteristics.

The Fizzy Air Mass

HANG GLIDING & PARAGLIDING MAGAZINE

23

rate. Restitution is much more likely to happen, due to the amount of warm air below towards the end of the sunny day. It’s not uncommon to have very hard-edged climbs, with strong areas of sink in-between, only exac-

With a lower dew point, due to less humidity, the climb can reach hypoxic altitudes with this extra energy. The forming clouds are practically in orbit, when compared to its fizzier counterpart.

erbating the “hitting-a-wall” feeling.

Imagine riding a series of rockets.

having high stability but, with enough

Moods of the Air Mass

prodding, the day may get going. Late

days; not enough, expect “stubborn”

starts and bigger terrain can be the

The above is simply a way of suggest-

stability. This is when we lean on

order of the day.

ing different attributes of the air mass spectrum extremes; their qualities are

the “Goldilocks” principle: neither too “fizzy” nor “sticky” for the amount of

Further along the spectrum comes “Cooperative”: These days are great

not necessarily binary. So to avoid this

sun available in the terrain in which

in both the flatlands and main Alps.

subtle difference, I decided to label the

we choose to fly, just the right amount.

Expect high bases and less chance of

possible “moods” of an air mass.

It’s interesting to point out that an

At this point, understanding the mood of the air mass comes into its

air mass that may be perfect for one

own. When we can predict the length

area can be utterly useless in another.

of a usable day, we can determine

overdevelopment. Long days with long XC flights are possible.

Lower the release temperature further, and things start to become

Often witnessed are the 250+km days

possible XC routes and the location of

“Excitable,” with lower base and short-

in the main Alps that lend a stable feel

climbs where we might be encouraged

er days. Flatlands are the place to be.

to the surrounding flatlands, fun but

to “tear away.”

occasionally turbulent, with some-

An air mass at the end of the

Even further along, we arrive at “Volatile.” It speaks for itself. Pour any

times- difficult XC conditions. And

“sticky” spectrum can be described as

energy into this cocktail and expect

vice-versa. A fun sky with lower cloud-

“Stubborn.” These days—usually blue

explosive results.

and motionless—need an incredible

The practical application of the air

will overdevelop in the large ramps

amount of encouragement to get any-

mass is a lengthy chapter by itself and

(mountains) deeper inside the Alps.

thing to stir.

base and softer thermals in the flats

This is due to the terrain’s amplifying

24

the sun; the air mass can only take so much energy. Too much, expect short

HANG GLIDING & PARAGLIDING MAGAZINE

After stubborn, comes “Lazy,”

is the subject of our courses. www. austrianarena.com.

2017 USHPA CALENDARS

HAVE LANDED!

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UNITED STATES HANG GLIDING & PARAGLIDING ASSOCIATION

2017

ORDER YOURS AT

www.ushpa.org/store

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25

Dreaming of a lift-accessed mountain paragliding site with multiple landing areas, resort amenities and all the trimmings?

America has historically been more than a little light on that kind of thing. But thanks to the Free Flight Foundation, a flying-friendly park superintendent and a group of hungry USHPA pilots willing to put in the work to make it happen, we just opened our own...

Promised Land The Canaan Valley Resort Flying Site

26

HANG GLIDING & PARAGLIDING MAGAZINE

by ANNETTE O'NEIL photos by DWAYNE McCOURT

HANG GLIDING & PARAGLIDING MAGAZINE

27

W

hen you ask Ben Herrick what he did before

that is rimmed with mountains that shoot from 1300 to

he started paragliding a little over a decade

4450 feet over the valley floor. Biblically, “Canaan” refers

ago, he’ll try to shut you down by telling you

to the Promised Land, and the name wasn’t too far off

he was “working for a living in DC.” If you bother to dig,

the mark. When the couple retired, they made that cabin

he’ll concede that he was a kayaker—and that he raced a

their permanent home.

sailboat. In fact, he belonged to a fleet of racing sailboats.

He’s retired these days from that big DC job, but he’s still on the ski patrol.

“I was born in Chicago,” Herrick says. “It was a job that landed me in DC. That’s what happens to a lot of people.

A number of paragliding pilots in the DC area did not go there to paraglide; people from all over the world go to DC to work. A lot of foreign, as well as domestic, pilots live in DC to earn a living. Some of these guys and gals used to fly in the Alps and now are looking for places to fly where they don’t have to board a plane.”

While he was still working, Ben and his wife L E, who is also a pilot, kept a little cabin up in northeastern West Virginia’s Canaan Valley to decompress from the DC fracas. They were drawn to the valley for its beauty, its relative wildness, and its surprisingly alpine landscape TOP A huge thank you to the Foundation for Free Flight who funded the construction of a critical boardwalk needed to

protect threatened species. ABOVE The new launch from above. OPPOSITE The Canaan Valley ski lift that pilots take to launch. PREVIOUS PAGE Bert Nunley checking out the new launch at the Canaan Valley Resort.

28

HANG GLIDING & PARAGLIDING MAGAZINE

When Ben and L E started calling the Canaan Valley home, they found some flying in the vicinity, but not much. And what sites existed were at least a couple of hours away by car. The ridgeline right above their cabin, however, looked mighty promising.

Luckily for the American paragliding scene, Herrick’s organizational-planning-heavy DC background leaked into his retirement. These days, he serves on the Tucker County Planning Commission and sits on the Highlands

“As far as places to fly in the States, I don’t think it gets much better than this.” down the trees.”

With that information in hand, Ben and his pilot friends searched for a tree-free launch. Eventually, they

Trail Network board. The latter runs through the Canaan

located a launch site on a bare, round hill that more-

Valley, connecting the park service lands with those

or-less faced north. After obtaining permission to fly

overseen by the Forest, National, and Fish and Wildlife

there, all was well for a little while—until the state park

services. “It’s lot of meetings,” Herrick laughs, “and a lot

installed a shooting range right in the landing area. Back

of going around in circles.” He was well prepared, then,

to the superintendent’s office they went.

to take on the bureaucratic wrestling he knew he was inviting.

“We went to the man who was the park superintendent

When Ben returned to the state park administration with his preliminary plans for the site, he saw a new face across the desk: Park Superintendent Stan Beafore, who

at the time,” Ben remembers, “And he pointed out that

was getting ready to replace his retiring predecessor.

West Virginia State Parks specifically permit hang gliding

Stan had been in the West Virginia state park system for

and paragliding; they’re just not too wild about cutting

25 years, during which time he’d seen a lot of changes at

HANG GLIDING & PARAGLIDING MAGAZINE

29

BELOW Caption. BOTTOM Caption. OPPOSITE TOP Caption. LEFT Caption. RIGHT Caption. CENTERFOLD Caption.

Canaan. He had his sights set on making Canaan Valley a “true all-season resort,” and he was already well aware

wind—you’ve got a unicorn on your hands. Canaan, being

of the potential for paragliding. Ben and L E, after all, had

a unique little high-rimmed east-west valley within the

shown him in person.

“Every year in July,” Stan Beafore explains, “We have what’s called the Festival of Wind. It’s a fun day, filled

Range, boasts just such a unicorn. The takeoff Ben had his eye on was southwest-facing, with a flyable northern side over the ski runs.

with kite clubs and food carts and performances, run-

Superintendent Beafore was keen to help. He assured

ning the whole gamut. As part of the festival, Ben and

Ben that they could have a launch if a short list of condi-

some of his associates launched and flew into the festival

tions were met. First, they had to get past the environ-

grounds from Bald Knob. And that’s how it started.”

“I went to the park office,” Ben remembers, “And said,

mental regulations. Second, they had to prove that there was a rating system in place to regulate safety. Third,

‘Hey, since you took away our landing zone, we’re wonder-

they had to secure owner permissions for the landing

ing if we can go back and look at the ski hill.’ ”

areas. Finally, they needed to have solid insurance in

The ski hill he was asking about is a peach. Not only is it serviced by the lift, it is north-south bidirectional. In

place.

USHPA’s pilot competence rating system and insurance

the Appalachians, the ridges tend to run from southwest

coverages both provided working fixes for two of the line

to northeast, so almost all the flying sites are either

items. “Without the rating system and without insurance,

directed northwest or southeast. If you get a southwest-

we would never have been able to open a site here,” Ben

“If you get a southwest-facing site—which is the direction of the prevailing wind—you’ve got a unicorn on your hands” 30

facing site—which is the direction of the prevailing

HANG GLIDING & PARAGLIDING MAGAZINE

insists.

Landing areas were next. To reach the primary designated landing area, a pilot has to follow the ridge out, around and back, and drop over into the state park. It doesn’t always work, and it’s not a sled ride. The pilots have to find lift in order to get to it.

Luckily, the owner of the landable field (“big enough to

land a Cessna in”) right below the launch is a contractor

sprang for it, and the professor did a preliminary survey

who does a lot of work at the park and was open to allow-

that came up Cheat Mountain Salamander-free.

ing pilots to land. So were a couple other landowners on

“So that’s when I produced all sorts of drawings, pro-

the south side. The fields are right alongside the road; if

posals, and stuff for the state park and the resort and

no ride materializes, there’s a reasonable three-mile walk

everybody,” Ben says. “We drafted a bunch of three-way

from the furthest LZ to get to a designated trailhead park-

agreements. Everything got signed off on, really quickly.

ing area. If you manage to get lift back to the main LZ,

We thought we were all good to go.”

you can walk just over a mile back to the lifts or hop on a bus. (The Canaan Valley Resort shuttle system breezes

That is, until the updated federal environmental regulations came into play.

right by the landing on its way from the lodge to the lifts.)

Fish and Wildlife took one look at the stack of paper-

With much of the legwork out of the way, the steepness

work and told Ben that they had changed the protocols.

of the final, environmental challenge became apparent.

The requirement suddenly jumped from one survey to

After all, there were two threatened species up there: a

five of them, with an extra demand that the study deter-

flying squirrel and a salamander.

Fortunately, by the time the environmental surveys

mine that animals weren’t dormant when the first survey was done, and that a boardwalk to the launch must be

were being conducted, the squirrel had been de-listed,

built so no remaining Cheat Mountain salamanders

but the Cheat Mountain salamander was a slippery little

would be harmed. In a few minutes, the price tag went

force to be reckoned with. Only one person in the country

from $300 dollars to $3000, not including the cost of the

was qualified to identify and categorize the animals:

boardwalk.

a professor at Marshall University named Dr. Thomas

“I was not ready to write a check for that,” Ben chuck-

Pauley. Ben brought him to Canaan for an initial look.

les, “So I had the brainstorm of going to the Free Flight

The original asking price for a site survey was $300. Ben

Foundation. I put up our proposal and told them what a

ABOVE Local pilots searching the horizon, imagining the flights to come! OPPOSITE The Canaan Valley Ski resort with the

launch on the south side and the ski runs on the north. NEXT PAGE Looking over the Red Creek Valley.

HANG GLIDING & PARAGLIDING MAGAZINE

31

wonderful site we were looking at.”

The Foundation came through. The FFF funded the follow-up environmental study, even with the knowledge

the situation. They came through again. The site was

that the Cheat Mountain salamander could very well

cleared and the boardwalk completed—a feature that

be found, which would cause the plans for the site to be

turned out to have the added benefit of keeping pilots’

abandoned.

feet dry from the squishy, marshy forest floor.

The gamble paid off. The salamander surveys came back clean. Ben and his tribe were elated.

The next hurdle, as it turns out, was also budgetary.

“Then,” Ben smiles, “It was pretty much all over except the celebrating.”

The team had themselves a working launch with work-

The state park was, miraculously, open to cutting the

ing access and working landings. Their hard work, along

trees for the launch, but they couldn’t pay for it from the

with the support of the FFF, USHPA, the park system and

state budget. West Virginia’s coal-and-natural-gas-driven

the state of West Virginia, resulted in the successful

economy has suffered grievously over the last few years

installation of one of the country’s only European-style

of heavy EPA regulation, and most of the funding for the

paragliding destinations.

state’s parks comes from coal and gas taxes. There was no funding to log the site.

“We talked about bringing in volunteers,” Ben says, “But

32

Ben got an estimate from a local logging operation that he took back to the Free Flight Foundation and explained

“As far as places to fly in the States, I don’t think it gets much better than this,” Ben muses. “A lot of places where I have been, I wind up in a little town after driving up a

that didn’t work so well because of workmen’s comp

long, long road and sitting in the dirt all day. That’s not

requirements. It didn’t make sense, anyway. I think the

very appealing to people with families, and non-pilots.

most dangerous part of hang gliding and paragliding

The dependents sit bored to tears, while the pilot’s wait-

might be amateurs with chainsaws clearing launches.”

ing for conditions. At Canaan, we’ve got golf courses,

HANG GLIDING & PARAGLIDING MAGAZINE

swimming pools, horseback riding, hiking, mountain bike rentals, and hiking trails for days. There are plenty

“It is just a huge asset to the park,” he continues, grinning. “The time and energy invested in this project has

of things for people to do here; it’s not like they have to sit

already been paying off; it’s going to be a win-win for

around, waiting. Canaan works as a true family vacation.

everybody. Regional instructors are beginning to show

And you can find an alternative to flying very easily if the

interest, and there’s a place for tandem operations here.

weather isn’t cooperative.”

The phone is ringing.”

For now, that flying is PG-specific. Canaan doesn’t yet have the bandwidth for hang gliders, as the only available access is the ski lift and, currently, there’s no mount system. Ben and Stan both insist that, once the hang gliding community gets involved, something can be done to accommodate their larger equipment.

“The miraculous part of the story is that all this was

T

he Canaan Valley site’s success is the result of the sum of a surprisingly simple equation: local effort plus national support (thanks to USHPA and the

Free Flight Foundation). USHPA, after all, couldn’t make this kind of miracle happen without the local component,

or our dues would clock in at something like $500 per

done at very little cost to the state of West Virginia,” Stan

pilot; the FFF needs boots-on-the-ground engagement

Beafore adds, “though the state park did pitch in and do

to realize its mission goals. Thanks to the multi-agency

quite a bit of work on it. It’s a real model for how this kind

team at Canaan, both sides of the equation were satis-

of thing can work. I credit our success here to Ben and his

fied and created the kind of flying destination in our

associates, to USHPA, the Free Flight Foundation, and the

American backyard that pilots have historically had to go

different agencies all working together. I’m proud to have

to Europe to enjoy.

been involved in a project like this and proud that we were able to see it through to the end.

And now Ben Herrick, for his efforts, can land in his very own yard.

HANG GLIDING & PARAGLIDING MAGAZINE

33

USHPA PILOT MAGAZINE

San Francisco | Eric Blum

When it comes to paragliding and paraglider racing, one quickly runs out of superlatives for the area surrounding Chelan, Washington.

Unchallenged as the most famous paragliding site in the United States, Chelan is a unique foot-launch-accessible flatland paradise, where grinding dust devils and textbook, cloud-dotted skies guarantee some of the best head-to-head racing in the world. It’s not surprising that pilots from all over the world come to race 100km+ tasks here day after day after day. Or at least, that’s what I kept telling myself, as I drove north toward Chelan in pouring rain, with skies far blacker and more tumultuous than I had ever seen there, two days before the start of the 2016 US Paragliding Nationals.

36

HANG GLIDING & PARAGLIDING MAGAZINE

COMPETITION Chelan Nationals 2016

by JAMES “KIWI” JOHNSTONE

A

s the uber-consistent site of

it was clear that expectations for the

prediction, because it indicated that

numerous US paragliding

following week of flying were high.

generally reliable flying sites world-

and hang gliding national

The only black cloud literally hanging

wide would be fraught with unsettled

championships, as well as one of the

over us was the unspoken menace of

and unseasonably wet weather.

rare Paragliding World Cups in North

an El Niño year.

And, in fact, starting in January, the

America, a Women’s Hang Gliding

El Niño: a phenomenon that’s little

normally consistent conditions at the

Worlds, and its own annual bi-wing-

understood by the flying community.

Monarca competition in Valle de Bravo,

ual “Cross-Country Classic,” Chelan

But in 2016 it became clear that pilots

Mexico were not to be found; competi-

is, in many ways, where paraglider

didn’t want to hear this weather

tors were frustrated by bad weather

racing has come of age in the United States since the mid-1990s. It boasts a list of veritable who’s who in North American paragliding amongst its champions, including David Bridges,

To call the next two-plus hours of flying “epic” would do them no justice for, in truth, these hours were some of the finest flying of my life,

Chris Muller, Josh Cohn, and our own USHPA magazine editor, Nick Greece.

The last time the nationals were in Chelan—a mere two years ago, in 2014—seven straight tasks were flown, including (at that time) the longest paraglider-racing task in history, a 128km race-to-goal that over 20 pilots completed.

This year’s competition welcomed a large contingent of foreign pilots, including some that formed a miniinvasion from Australia (whose conditions often mimic the flatland flying of eastern Washington), and former World Paragliding Champion Bruce Goldsmith (who won his title in the flatlands of Australia). So the 2016 Chelan Open promised to be one of the more competitive competitions in the US in a number of years. And, as more and more eager pilots turned up in the campground at the base of “the Butte,”

ABOVE

The author after landing at 141 miles, in goal.

HANG GLIDING & PARAGLIDING MAGAZINE

37

and cancelled tasks. In January and

ABOVE Tyr

Goldsmith on the flats during a practice day | photo by Nick Greece.

February, competitions in Colombia were marked by a drought that cre-

became the unmentioned elephant in

local beer after the meeting. “Chelan

ated unusually strong conditions

the room; experienced pilots feared

will deliver, it always does!” I desper-

and wind. (Colombia, however, was

this could be the year that Chelan

ately wanted to believe Matt’s cheery

the exception for competitions early

failed to deliver.

optimism and prediction, but when

Undaunted, a smiling Matt Senior

rain began falling as I headed back to

there enjoyed almost uninterrupted

greeted everyone at the pilots’ brief-

the campgrounds, I realized I couldn’t

flying. El Niño was apparently good for

ing with the promise that the follow-

remember ever having seen rain in

Roldanillo!).

ing week would unleash for us some

Chelan in July. I found myself fervently

typically legendary Chelan conditions.

hoping that Matt was somehow right.

in the year; two competitions held

The spring season in the United

38

States began fitfully, with only a

A New Zealand-born pilot who grew

couple of successful long XC flights

up in Australia and lives in nearby

Day One: The task was cancelled due to over-development, with the skies

being completed in the West—most

Seattle, Washington, Matt Senior is

looking dark and wild and stormy. Not

notably, Cody Mittanck’s remark-

one of the top-ranked US pilots. He has

exactly the start that we had all been

able 200-mile flight in southern Utah

been spearheading the remarkable

hoping for, but what we learned this

that literally seemed to have been

cross-country flying movement in the

week in Chelan was that in this area

snatched from the jaws of opposing

Cascade Mountains over the past few

weather systems move fast and condi-

weather systems. And while pilots in

summers, as well as serving as the

tions can change quickly.

Day Two: Task One. Conditions

the annual Rat Race in Oregon that

reigning Washington State distance

opens the US racing season managed

holder. As the event organizer, meet

looked far better. Pilots soon formed

to complete six tasks over the week

director, and main sponsor (through

a massive gaggle on the rim of the

(and, this year, the first half of the

his Thailand-based paragliding tour

Columbia River gorge, waiting for the

US Nationals), conditions there were

company, 300 Peaks), Matt Senior was

start. With a 161km (100-mile) task

mostly hampered by high-pressure

the main reason we were in Chelan

ahead of us, the competition took off at

and wind, while the usual abundant

in the first place, and his unwavering

full speed, with the large lead gaggle

cumulus clouds were rare. The gener-

enthusiasm helped soothe the misgiv-

hammering towards the first turn-

ally unsettled weather in the world

ings of the nervous crowd.

point in strong hands-on conditions.

I had just come off one of my best

was behaving far from what might be

“She’ll be right!” Matt could be

considered “normal,” and El Niño was

heard assuring everyone, as they

results at the Rat Race (top Serial Class

clearly to blame. Consequently, El Niño

gathered around the sponsored keg of

glider) and was loving my new Ozone

HANG GLIDING & PARAGLIDING MAGAZINE

Mantra LM6, which was managing to

actually saw the pilotless glider and

on Lake Chelan. But after the airport,

keep the lead gaggle of (mostly) Enzo

harness flying across the field. When

competitors split into gaggles head-

2’s in close sight. While flying full

he managed to leap out of his truck

ing off in multiple directions. We had

speed with another M6 and Enzo 2, I

and chase it down, he was relieved to

the possibility of either flying deep in

was trying to stay high and not make

discover there was no longer a body

the mountains, under a mighty cloud

any rash mistakes on what appeared

attached!

street (the slowest line), crisscross-

like a perfectly fine line. The flight

After the dust cleared on this first

seemed to be going well, until I made

task, only seven pilots made goal, with

ing the Columbia on-and-off the flats (where there were also clouds, making

the mistake of going on glide for the

the unflappable Josh Cohn taking vic-

it look as if it should be the fastest

first turnpoint and dropped down

tory on an Ozone Enzo 2, by some nine

route), or following the courseline

into what turned out to be a strong

minutes, from Argentina’s Francisco

along the river in a mighty blue hole.

headwind below. At that point, I found

Mantaras, who was hot off his Rat

The direct line impressively turned

myself yo-yoing back and forth in the

Race victory earlier in the month.

same three-mile-square field for the

Day Three: A task was called on the

out to be the fastest—with Jared Anderson beating Josh Cohn in by one

flats. While we were getting ready on

second and one point—although pilots

push forward in the strengthening

launch, the skies towards Spokane

who were caught alone (such as, both

wind.

simply exploded; another task can-

Francisco Mantaras and I) paid the

next hour, as I desperately tried to

The lead gaggle managed to squeak

celled. Two cancelled tasks and one

price. We were forced to ridge soar our

around the turnpoint and turn down-

scarily windy one. Not exactly “clas-

way to goal along a series of minus-

wind, while some smart pilots ap-

sic” Chelan conditions, for sure. And

cule canyons, before squeaking into

proached the turnpoint from further

another weather system was rolling

goal an hour or more behind the lead-

upwind. When the rest of the field

through with a forecast that didn’t

ers. Despite the tricky conditions, 54

behind us witnessed my two compan-

look great.

pilots made goal (flying five different

ions and me sink into the wind-bowl

“She’ll be right!” Matt Senior as-

lines from the last airport turnpoint),

and become parked, they wisely gag-

sured us, his grin unflappable. “Chelan

with the final pilot making it in after

gled up on the rim of a small canyon

will deliver!” I was starting to wonder

five hours and 15 minutes—almost

behind us to avoid the same fate. Now,

what he knew that the rest of us didn’t.

twice Jared Anderson’s winning time!

all pilots were trying desperately to get

Either that, or what he was smoking.

the altitude to push into the unexpect-

(It’s legal in Washington after all. …)

ed headwind to the turn-point. Those

Day Four: Task 2. On launch, the

Day Five: Task 3. Despite the high number of pilots making goal the previous day, some serious competi-

who stayed high could make it—albeit

grin on Matt Senior’s face widened,

tors, especially those pilots who had

slowly, for most—but if anyone had

as the task committee, led by Owen

enjoyed the tight in-your-face racing of

the bad luck or lack of forethought to

Shoemaker, set a day of racing that

the first round of the US Nationals at

drop down into the strong wind layers

sent the field off in unfamiliar di-

the Rat Race in Oregon, were grum-

below, he/she could find himself going

rections—away from the flatlands.

bling on launch about the week’s

backwards, or worse.

First, we were directed to head north,

beginning to resemble a cross-country

along Lake Chelan, to 4th of July Peak,

competition more than any type of

to the ground, and one very experi-

which was the first time this spot

race. This distinction—what consti-

enced pilot, who had been unable to

had ever been used as a turnpoint

tutes “real racing”—tends to separate

access his hook knife, was dragged for

in any competition, considered one

the more serious competitors, those

close to a mile across a plowed field

of Matt Senior’s innovations for the

who enjoy the challenge of sticking

in the strong wind, his helpless body

comp. Next, we were to go back to the

with a gaggle, out-climbing the com-

creating a major furrow in the fine

airport behind town, before heading

petition, and the tactics of calculating

dirt, until he finally managed to eject

northeast along the Columbia River to

the moment for the final glide into

himself from the harness, while his

the town of Omak, for a total task of

goal, from those occasional-compe-

glider, reserve, and other equipment

103km.

tition pilots who tend to be more XC-

Two reserves were thrown close

continued. Matt Senior, who was out

The racing was fast and spectacular

orientated, and come to competitions

driving the course and overseeing

to the first two turnpoints, with the

like the US Nationals mostly to learn

his first-ever task as a meet organizer,

field tightly bunched, as well as highly

and to get the maximum time—and,

was witness to both reserve tosses and

visible for spectators in town or out

most importantly, the distance—in

HANG GLIDING & PARAGLIDING MAGAZINE

39

on the flats, there were cloudstreets

the air. As the racing in the United States becomes more sophisticated,

as far as the eye could see. Josh Cohn

and as American pilots become

cleared out of the lead gaggle on this

increasingly competitive internation-

task, but took a line further south,

ally, this conversation will become

anticipating a wind direction change

even more pointed. The racers back

that never actually came. He then re-

shorter, “racier” tasks that help them

joined the lead gaggle in the final glide

develop speed (most of the tasks at the

into goal, winning the day on lead

recent European Championships were

points from Canadian pilot J.P. Robert

around 100km), while the XC pilots

Vandenbegine and the ever-consistent

hope for long tasks that challenge

Brad Gunnuscio, with a time of four

their skills. The fact that the clouds

hours and 14 minutes.

The lead gaggle reported speeds

out on the flats had looked fabulous the day before, like classic Chelan

in excess of 100 km/h on the final leg,

racing conditions, while the field had

with an incredible 62 pilots (half the

largely groveled its way along the

field) making the total distance and

Columbia River canyon in dribs and

the majority of pilots smashing their

drabs, only added to the debate.

personal-best distance. The always entertaining Matt Henzi did what I am

A more classical 111.6km task with six turnpoints was set on the flats

sure many of us thought about doing,

in what turned out to be very stable

as we spiraled down to goal at 5:30 in

conditions. A number of pilots in the

the afternoon: He continued on in the

first group who attempted to cross

incredible conditions for another two

the Columbia River found themselves

hours, nearly all the way across Idaho,

groveling in the canyons below the

setting a new Washington State record

rim when the start arrived, includ-

just short of 200 miles.

ing Josh Cohn. A small gaggle managed to make it away at the start and, mostly by sticking together, those

ABOVE Jared

Anderson would go on to win the US National Title! Photo

by Josh Cohn.

one was smiling on launch for what would be the final day of the competition, as pilots basked in the afterglow

10 pilots were able to complete the 111 km task, with Jared Anderson

Butte on what looked like an average

of the previous day and what the

and Brad Gunnuscio sharing the

day from down below. However, a big

majority felt were some of the finest

win. Unfortunately, the majority of

surprise awaited everyone on top, as

flying conditions ever encountered.

the rest of the field barely made the

an ecstatic Matt Senior announced a

As is traditional on the final day of

start, resulting in a low-scoring day

223.3km (141-mile) race-to-goal. He

the comp, a shorter (58.6km) task was

for the winners (427 pts) and the only

and the task committee head Owen

set on the flats, and after a choppy

task with less than 100% validity of

Shoemaker had assessed that the

start on the Butte that saw a couple

the week. Along with the eight CCC

windy post-frontal conditions were

of reserves thrown in the snappy conditions, this final day produced

competition 2-liners in goal were two

ripe to snatch the record for the

Australian pilots, Steve Nagle and Kari

longest-ever competition task back

some of the tightest and most enjoy-

Ellis, on serial-class gliders (Ozone M6

from Australia.

able head-to-head racing of the week.

and Niviuk Peak 4).

After the conditions of the previ-

The irrepressible Matt Henzi won and

Day Six: Task 4. Disgruntled by

ous few days, such a task didn’t really

broadcast his first-ever victory to the

the stable conditions of Task 3 and

seem realistic on launch (at least with

world on Facebook Live, as he raced

witness to another weather system

my hangover), but the strengthening

into goal. One of the most aggressive

that moved in that evening, Thursday

wind meant that if pilots didn’t get off

pilots with whom to thermal in compe-

night was marked by a fair amount of

launch quickly, they might lose their

tition, as well as one of the nicest guys

drinking in the campgrounds, with

chance. Crossing the Columbia River

on the ground, Henzi’s skills matched

numerous pilots looking worse-for-

was perhaps the trickiest part of the

his independent antics all week in

day, for once pilots were established

Chelan. And both his Washington

wear as they rolled back up Chelan

40

Day Seven: Task 5. Virtually every-

HANG GLIDING & PARAGLIDING MAGAZINE

record and his Live victory on the final

managed to hang with the leaders

watch in the future. No one seemed

day were celebrated by many in the

most days on their serial-class gliders,

more surprised than his dad, who was

field as a fitting end to a wild week of

by leading out from the majority of

standing below him on the podium in

competition paragliding.

thermals ahead of the CCC gliders, and

one of the more memorable moments

both enjoyed top-10 finishes in goal.

of the prize-giving.

Competition Highlights

This tactic allowed them to stay with

After five very different tasks in seven

the lead gaggle until the final glide

days, the ever-consistent Josh Cohn

into goal. Both Australian pilots at-

task in the landing field, when Brad

(Ozone Enzo 2) emerged as the winner,

tributed their speed to the Australian

Gunnuscio, who finished in the top 3

One final reminder of the power of Chelan occurred at the end of the last

narrowly beating Jared Anderson

scoring system, which is heavily

in 4-of-the-5 tasks, and no lower than

(Enzo 2) and Brad Gunnuscio (Enzo 2).

weighted towards lead points).

7th all week, was hit by an invisible

With the combined results of the

Bianca Heinrich (Niviuk Peak 4) was

dust devil, while coming into the wet

Chelan Open and the Rat Race, Jared

the top US female pilot, and the 2016

and grassy LZ, and suffered a major

Anderson was crowned the 2016 US

US Women’s Champion.

collapse on his Enzo 2 less than 70 feet

National Champion, ahead of Andy

Bruce Goldsmith’s 14-year-old son

off the ground. One of the most expe-

Ty, in his first paragliding competition,

rienced SIV pilots in the world, Brad’s

won the Sport Class on his BGD Cure,

considerable skills probably saved

Serial (D) Class proved highly competi-

by consistently beating his former

his life, as he crash-landed between a

tive and very popular. It was won by

World Champion father into goal! A

tall wire fence and trees. After a visit

Australia’s Steve Nagle, who put in

modest lad, Ty is definitely a talent to

McRae. The introduction of an unofficial

the two-line competition gliders on his Ozone Mantra 6, and proved that three-line serial-class gliders can still be competitive, by finishing 10th overall.

USHPA should be encouraged to

to the local hospital, he was declared battered and bruised, but essentially

a remarkable performance against BELOW Above

launch the pilots climb to get in position to go over to the rim.

unhurt. A well-deserved 3rd place on the podium that night in the Overall has probably never felt so good.

With five tasks completed over seven days, and the considerable challenge of five different weather systems

make the Serial Class an officially rec-

moving through, both first-time meet

ognized US category (only Open, Sport,

director/organizer Matt Senior and his

and B classes are recognized, for some

team, as well as the task committee

reason), since the majority of US com-

headed by Owen Shoemaker, deserve

petitors fly D-class gliders, and the ar-

full marks for divining one of the most

rival of highly competitive Serial Class

enjoyable and best-run paragliding

2-liners, such as the Peak 4 and the

competitions in the USA in memory.

newly arriving Ozone Zeno, will only

Smiling till the end, Matt Senior

make this class more competitive. The

looked just as poised and ready to go

gap between Sport-class gliders and a

at the prize giving as he had at the

true CCC racing glider is so dramatic

pilots’ briefings. Probably the ultimate

that the Serial (D) Class should be

indicator of the success of the week

encouraged and regarded as both the

is the fact that Matt and his team are

true “development class” for would-be

excited and willing to hold more US

CCC racers, as well as the class for the

Nationals in Chelan in the near future

many experienced pilots who prefer

and, perhaps, even a return of the

not to fly the CCC gliders.

PWC.

Australia’s Kari Ellis was the Women’s Champion and 2nd overall in

Given some decent, more typical Chelan weather, the mind boggles at

the Serial Class (as well as 15th over-

where these lads might send a full

all) on the new 2-line Niviuk Peak 4

contingent of World Cup pilots. A

and was a regular presence in the lead

300km task, anyone? Or just shoot for

gaggle. (Kari and Steve Nagle, in fact,

the 200 miles like Matt Henzi did?

HANG GLIDING & PARAGLIDING MAGAZINE

41

141 MILES in 650 WORDS The infamous author and long-time paragliding journalist James “Kiwi” Oroc, who has been both witness and narrator to many of paragliding’s finest moments (and a few of its most frustrating) during his 26+ year flying career, was one of the pilots who completed the record 141-mile (224.1km) task in the US Nationals last July. When we asked him for a brief article on how it felt to land in goal after the longest racing task in paragliding history, this was his reply.

Dear Nick …

650 words on how it felt to fly 141 miles in a paragliding race? Where do I start?

This was my fourth comp in Chelan in 20 years, and I have never seen weather like we got for this one… wind, over-development, scratchy weak high-pressure lift… By the time it was over, Matt Senior and his team had to call tasks in four or five completely different weather systems, so to call the conditions unsettled would be overly kind. When the wind picked up late that afternoon and roared all night like a freight train, I think a lot of us thought the comp was over.

As it was, I almost missed the day entirely. I woke up to a bunch of plane ticket and passport BS that I had to deal with, missed the transport up the hill, and was affected by the negativity of the previous night that nearly infected me and caused me to forget it. But luckily, I rallied up the Butte in my own truck, just as the task was announced. One turnpoint, a 140-mile (224.1km) race-to-goal. The longest task in competition history.

Matt Senior and the task committee led by Owen Shoemaker were obvi-

42

HANG GLIDING & PARAGLIDING MAGAZINE

ously keen to bring the record set in 2014 back to Chelan, after the Aussies had run a longer task last winter. A Chelan day two years ago had started with a similar series of distractions for me (a lost credit card that time) and had ended brutally early, when I “dirted” on the rim, a mere five miles from the Butte. I still remember slowly packing my glider and watching the entire field fly over my head, many who would spend the next 6+ hours in the air on their way to goal.

For two years, I had been carrying around that failure and had, in fact, returned to Chelan hoping for some redemption. But now, incredibly, after being well prepared all week, I found myself in total disarray. My camelback was missing, as was all my food and my pee-tube and, for good measure, the batteries in my vario were dead, since I had forgotten to put everything on charge the night before. Scrambling, I borrowed what I needed from my fellow pilots, and as I geared up, I realized my heated gloves were dead also. “F#%K!” I swore to myself in some frustration. As disorganized as I was on the fifth day of a major competition, I didn’t deserve to make it to goal, and it seemed as if history was determined to repeat itself. 141 miles, right at that moment, seemed like an impossible distance to go.

The flying itself was like being in a dream, the visible patterns of light and shade streaming through the vibrant air and down onto the pancakeflat terrain below, making me wonder if I had accidentally eaten the wrong piece of candy and somehow dosed myself. I don’t think I even really woke up until an hour or so into the

flight when I finally began pushing a bit of bar. I had been thermaling great all week, but on this day, apparently I couldn’t fly with anyone. I lost the thermal every time I tried, so I kept leaving gaggles alone. An old friend from Canada, Jim Orava, pimped me all day and flogged me like a drunken sailor in every thermal, his very presence a thousand feet above me a kiss of death that constantly forced me onward, as I relentlessly pushed on.

After the single turnpoint in Odessa at the halfway mark, we turned dead downwind, where a cloud street stretched out more than 100 miles ahead of us with a strong tailwind behind, and things suddenly got very real. I believe it was just before the Odessa turn point that I allowed myself to think for the first time that I actually had a chance to make it to goal.

To call the next two-plus hours of flying “epic” would do them no justice for, in truth, these hours were some of the finest flying of my life, as I watched the miles ticking down towards goal at an astonishing rate. It was about as good cross-country conditions as you could ever imagine—a truly special day—with cloudbase some 8000 feet above the ground and a steady 20-30mph wind pushing pilots directly down the course line at speeds in excess of 60 miles per hour.

Jim continued to fly high above me, as I pushed on climb-after-climb and, as I cursed him, I also considered the synchronicity that we were flying (somewhat) together on this very special day.

It was truly a once-in-a-lifetime kind of a day. In 26 years of flying all over the world, I can’t say I have ever

seen another day quite like it. And despite these remarkable conditions, I still nearly managed to blow it.

Somewhere after the hundred-mile mark, just as the flat, open fields turned to dense forests of trees, I was caught trying to cross the shade of a huge cloud and found myself in a wide band of desperate 1200+ fpm sink.

Cursing my poor decision, I turned 90 degrees and flew full bar towards a highway that lay in the sun, but by the time I got there, I was already getting painfully low. Pushing on, I flew away from the road, doing my best to ignore any potential walk-out, and upon reaching a railway line that ran parallel to the highway, I turned back downwind again in desperation and flew down the line, while contemplating the imminent need for a landing zone. Then, at only a couple of hundred feet above the ground, I caught a bump off a rail-tower, turned, and stuffed it into the wind, maintained, and then turned and ran downwind with the bubble again.

Turn, run, turn, stuff, stop, hover, turn, run, turn, stuff, stop, hover... the desperation of my situation was not lost on me, as I drifted in the considerable wind, barely above the trees or gaining altitude for what seemed like miles and miles.

The previous day, I had been flying with Bruce Goldsmith and his son Ty in very light lift as we drifted across the flats, and I had given up low in the traffic at one point and flown out to meet a road rather than walk in knee-deep dirt in the hundred-degree heat across the field. But Bruce and Ty kept drifting and eventually got up, and that lesson had been reinforced in me. Just keep drifting straight downwind, and eventually you will get up, I kept telling myself, chasing the broken bubble of lift, until I found a

solid rising column and returned to cloud base. I hadn’t flown that great all day, but when I really needed to, I flew like a champion. (Thanks, Bruce!)

Mercifully high again, with around 25 miles to go, I spotted the town of Fairfield dead downwind ahead and set off on an incredible over-40-to-1 final glide into goal! At 5:19 in the afternoon, a little over five hours after the start of the race, I arrived at goal (in 33rd) and had the surreal experience of spiraling down from the longest flight of my life (and the first over 200kms), with a cloudstreet stretching out in front of me, knowing there were still two more hours of flying ahead—a bizarre experience for a cross-country pilot, to say the least.

One pilot, the entertaining Matt Henzi, actually did what many of us were thinking: He flew past goal and deep into neighboring Idaho, completing a 309km flight that took the Washington State Record from meet organizer Matt Senior. But I was actually quite content to land and celebrate with the growing crowd of pilots drinking margaritas at goal, after one of the greatest days of flying in our lives. (I was still in my harness when they handed me a margarita!)

As we departed, another score of gliders could be seen arriving at goal; 65 pilots made it in total, over half the field! While we spent nearly as many hours driving back to Chelan as we had flying to goal, I could only marvel at what I had just been a part of, and how sweet was the taste of redemption.

The next day I got a ride up the Butte with a local pilot who explained that on a day like we had just had, the wind usually would move further south, and if it moved as little as 10 degrees, the epic cloudstreets we had

experienced would fall apart. This local had been so sure this would happen that he had taken a line further south after Odessa, as had Josh Cohn, the eventual winner of the competition, who probably knows Chelan better than anyone. Josh had been as far as eight km ahead at times, before rejoining the surprised lead gaggle for the final glide into goal and winning the day with lead points. For whatever reason, on this very special day, the wind did not swing further south as normal, but had held dead true to the course-line.

Almost as if by magic, or in a dream.

That’s my recollection of a history-making day that saw Chelan, Washington, home to the longest task in competition paragliding once again, and a day I doubt I will ever forget. Many thanks to Matt Senior and Owen Shoemaker and the task committee for sending us.

Australia, you are back up, 300 km is next!

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Semi-unofficial

Travel World Flying Guide

Coupe Icare St Hilaire, France

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You’ve heard about it. You’ve seen the pictures.

You even may have read about it. But to really appreciate it, you have to be there. Here are your best travel tips for getting to the Coupe Icare 2017 and making the most of your experience.

by TIM MEEHAN

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45

ABOVE Flight of the bumbling bee. OPPOSITE

Aerobatic pilots put on demonstrations for spectators in the landing area all day. PREVIOUS PAGE The launch is a raucous affair that every pilot should experience at least once in their career.

T

he 43 annual Coupe Icare events have been the

tourism offices and the inclusion of many public-friendly

world’s greatest, wackiest, most delightful, dynam-

and family-friendly activities. Coupe Icare typically draws

ic air shows the world has ever seen; expect the

over 20,000 members of the public who travel from all

same in 2017. The annual events take place in the heart of

over Europe just to watch the demonstrations and partici-

the Alps, between Grenoble and Chambery, in the towns

pate in the intriguing ground-bound activities.

of Saint Hilaire and Lumbin.

Over the course of four days, about 10,000 pilots of all kinds of flying conveyances, including paragliders, hang

Each day, simple family-focused events and workshops relevant to flight are held just for children throughout the venue.

gliders, paramotors, ultralights, hot air balloons, and

Perhaps most remarkable are events halls during

every conceivable type of airborne toys turn the skies

which, throughout the day, children and young adults

about the Rhone/Alps Valley into a veritable Mardi Gras

are harnessed and taught how to kite and launch actual

of the air.

paragliders in a large sloping field outside the trade

Last year’s event also staged the usual industry tradeshow booth presentations, and technology and skill

booths.

Make sure your passport is current and valid for

demonstrations by hotshot acro pilots, as well as nightly

travel to your destination. This is easy to accomplish via

outdoor aerial demonstrations by aerobatic stunt planes

your US Department of State website (www.state.gov)

and Yves Rossi, AKA “Jet Man,” the internationally known solo jet-pack/carbon-fiber wing pilot.

One of the characteristics that makes this event so unique and special is the support it receives from local

46

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If you’re renting a car to get from the airport to the event site, from the event site to your hotel or lodgings, you must acquire an international driving permit. Luckily,

France recognizes your US license skills as being ad-

Switzerland. From there, it’s an easy two-hour train/bus/

equate (they drive on the same side of the road and have

car ride to the area.

similar traffic laws), but you’ll need an international driving permit to pick up your car. Be sure to visit your local AAA office. Costs about $20.

Call your credit card company to make sure they know you’re making purchases outside the continental US. St Hilaire is located in the south of France near the borders of Switzerland and Italy. In fact, St Hilaire de Touvet is within reasonable driving distance from almost anywhere in central Europe. Your best entry point

Grenoble is another transportation hub with bus, train, or car options to get you to the village of St Hilaire.

Trains and buses were (this time around) reasonably priced, comfortable, quiet and easy to get to and from all over the valley.

Expect free Wi-Fi in the airport, train station, and bus terminals. Once on-board, though, it is either available but unreliable, or just plain unavailable.

As you may be crossing national borders, be prepared to show your passport as you buy your transit tickets.

into France will be in Geneva, a major international

Renting a car is about as easy as it gets. Same as it is here

airport that straddles the border between France and

at home. Be prepared for a low-ball rental price that gets

“Coupe Icare typically draws over 20,000 members of the public who travel from all over Europe just to watch the demonstrations and participate in the intriguing ground-bound activities.”

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47

ABOVE, CENTER This spider was the award-winning Grenoble University flying club's submission.

jacked up with all manner of additional fees, taxes and

agency for your own peace of mind.” Check with your

supplemental insurance products. Example: Advertised

credit card issuer to see if you have purchased protection

price for the Fiat 500x was only $82 for a week, but after

or insurance on your use of the card.

airport tax, sales tax, regional tax, insurance, undefined

With the advent of AirBnB and VRBO sharing options,

acronyms (CDW, TP amounts paid per day), “location

finding lodging has never been easier.

service charge” and VAT (yes, you’re paying a tax on the

In the past, there have been stories of pilots making

taxes you’re already paying) the final bill came to a little

reservations 8-12 months in advance. This time around

under $350.

AirBnB came through at the last minute and provided a

Fuel was under $7/gallon (about €1.54/liter). It's impor-

convenient, inexpensive option right at the base of the

tant to stop before refueling and read carefully the labels

hill within walking distance of bus stops, cafes and the

on the fuel pumps. Everywhere else on the planet, gaso-

local Netto, a grocery store chain. There’s also Holiday

line is delivered from a black hose, diesel from a green

Inn in Grenoble, about 35 minutes up-valley from the

hose. In France it’s the opposite. Fueling with the wrong

Lumbin site, but it seems to fill up fast and well in ad-

fuel can be an expensive travel-delaying inconvenience.

vance of the event dates.

Check to make sure your US auto insurance is likely

A good number of pilots drive in with their vans and

to be accepted in Europe. State Farm said, “You’re on your

campers and turn the event into a Woodstock-like experi-

own… so buy the supplemental insurance from the rental

ence.

“Flying in France is seemingly much easier than flying anywhere else. They aren’t sticklers for memberships or ratings. ” 48

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Local dining and shopping are convenient, with a boulangerie or cafe on every corner. Almost everyone you meet will speak enough English for you to place an order for a sandwich, croissant, local wine, beer or coffee. Help yourself out by downloading some easy language/dictionary apps and practice a few phrases before you go. Just starting a conversation with a simple “Bonjour,” demonstrates that you know you’re just a visitor, but are trying to be a good guest. If you can practice something simple like, “Je ne parle pas Francais,” (“I don’t speak French”) to follow your “Bonjour” greeting, you’ll score a few extra points and get a little more help with your order.

France’s currency is the Euro. The 2016 exchange rate was pretty good. I bought Euros for $1.12, sold them back after return for $1.05. Some airport money-changers charge a minimum service fee on top of the point-spread.

At the event itself, so much is happening from sunrise to well-into-the-night that you would do well to plan your day and pace yourself, if you want to take it all in.

Mornings start with coffee and croissants in the big tent.

(6 icares) You must use regular currency there. You need

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49

to buy the show’s local currency of “icares” and present them to pay for food and drink. You can buy as many icares as you need. The exchange rate is 1:1 (1 euro = 1 icare). A ham sandwich is 3 icares. A coke is 2 icares. You can get a hotdog (also known there as a “sausage sandwich”) and fries for 8 icares.

Visit all the booths in the display halls. Watch as many demo videos, talk to as many of your favorite manufacturers as you can all day.

Start the evening with stunt plane and acro displays (and beer) and stay well into the night, enjoying the live music, light-up flying displays and more beer.

Free flying is available every day of the event, but is restricted to very strictly observed times and air spaces.

The event does its best to avoid airspace clashes and accidents by keeping the acro and demo exhibitions separate from the free flying.

During the event, buses are running from the LZ back up to the event location every few minutes. You’ll never wait long for a comfortable, air-conditioned ride back to launch. Cost: free for pilots.

Flying in France is seemingly much easier than flying anywhere else. They aren’t sticklers for memberships or ratings. The only real requirement is that you have some form of “civil insurance” guaranteeing that you will be taken care of in the event of an accident. Showing your health insurance membership card is often sufficient, although it’s rarely asked for.

You’ll enjoy the most magical flying experience of your life on the last day of the Coupe Icare. Free fliers are encouraged to fly among the hot-air balloons rising from the valley. Bring your camera and capture the entire experience. The photos will be beautiful and no one will ever believe you were there unless you have pictures. Be sure to spend one day watching the costume follies. It’s like a Mardi Gras parade in which everything flies: Costumes, floats, dance presentations. It’s an aerial Macy’s holiday parade.

Tim Meehan is a USHPA member from way back in the day.

A certified instructor holding a few appointments and a lot of great stories of flying adventures from all over the planet.

Find him at tim@flytim.com.

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A

ttending the Coupe Icare will give you one of those flying merit

badges that everyone should endeavor to achieve. A good time is virtually guaranteed, as are life-long memories you will bring back with you.

Get the most of the experience by doing your pre-travel homework and prep for effortless and troublefree travel.

Shake hands, make connections, meet new friends from all over the world. Invite all these new friends to visit your home site and demonstrate warm hospitality. This kind of stuff comes back to you 10x year after year.

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51

TRAVEL Hacks

by NICK GREECE Recently, I had to renew

I’m smart, but because I’ve made the

on comfort, reduction of time spent

my passport in order to make room

same mistakes over and over until I

dealing with bureaucracy, and better

for an upcoming trip to Brazil. Before initiating the process, I spent a good

I’ve refined tools and practices I

amount of time flipping through its

carry with me that help maximize

many pages, marveling at the many

my good times and allow me to focus

living through intelligent choices concerning technology.

Comfort: Everyone sees and feels comfort differently so it’s worth think-

places, people, and experiences

on what counts. This will be the start

ing what works for you and what you

represented by every stamp, visa, and

of a series on best travel practices, in

can leave behind.

signature.

my humble opinion, with the goal of

The question I ask is, “How do I need

starting a conversation around what

to engineer my environment to be

world, as well as a fair amount in

everyone else uses as well. The long of

comfortable, when the going gets long

regards to transiting it—not because

the short of it is, my priorities center

and tough?”

I have learned so much about the

52

“learned.”

HANG GLIDING & PARAGLIDING MAGAZINE

I need to be able to control sound and light, just as some people require their pillow or snack-pack. My purchase of noise-cancelling Bose headphones that reduce harsh ambient noise and concurrent stress levels that arise over 7- to 30-hour travel times was difficult due to the high price, aka barrier to entry, but I have not regretted it once.

I make sure to have a pack of Mack’s Pillow Soft Silicon Earplugs. These have saved me more than any other piece of gear, and I don’t have to wear a cone around my neck to prevent me from pulling them out of my ears while I sleep. The worst scenario for anyone is realizing that, after finally arriving at your hotel, you’re next to a noisy freeway, ice machine, or party, all of which could possibly keep you awake or fuming throughout the night.

Light is easily controlled with an eye mask. There are many options from which to choose; the tradeoff is

taking notes about the airports you

weight versus comfort. I vacillate be-

visit, and eventually you will start to

tween using a plush, furry option and

feel at home when you arrive at one

an ultra-light eye cover that can also

that’s become familiar to you.

serve as a thick bookmark.

Enjoy the airport: Airports are

Shoes: Let those dogs breathe. At six feet tall and a size 12, I get an

a marvel of industrial architecture,

instant upgrade in terms of space

people in transit, and delectable (if

when I remove my shoes. Important

you search hard enough) food op-

caveat that may be completely obvious,

tions. This last point means, look at

though, is only take your shoes off

the maps in the airport and do a little

if they are relatively new, AND you

research online as to where to find

have on a fresh pair of socks, AND you

the best place to eat. If you have extra

haven’t walked/run/speed-walked/

time, it is worth the effort, even if it

strutted for miles on end to get to the

means heading to another terminal. I

gate on time. Being respectful of the

tend to think of airports as giant fish

strangers around you is paramount to

bowls and do my best to find the ideal

gliding along to one’s final destination.

spot for my mood and phases of travel.

One must tick all of these boxes, not

Keep an eye out for chairs without

just one or two of three. If you don’t

armrests, where you might stretch out,

fully comply, leave them on, please.

or gates with a small space behind

Hydrate! I use a collapsible water

them where you might be able to lie

bladder made by Platypus so that I can

down away from the crowd. When

pack it down small and never have an

you’re alert, look for good areas for

excuse to leave out of my kit.

people-watching and dining. Start

Fight the Power: Don’t let the man

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53

I have learned so much about the world, as well as a fair amount in regards to transiting it—not because I’m smart, but because I’ve made the same mistakes over and over until I “learned.”

seas policies, including a hazardous sports rider that gives me coverage for everything from paragliding to kayaking. When I was guiding paragliding students in foreign lands, I required every client to buy this plan. It is legitimate and only costs $30-$60 for plans ranging from two to eight weeks.

Technology: It’s a connected world and being able to successfully work on the road has enabled me to take more trips than I ever could have imagined when I left my 9-to-5 job in New York City. Here are a few highlights from the road: I always bring a small receptacle containing a paperclip or safety pin that will fit in the small hole in the iPhone and can be used to pop out the SIM card. The case also is a perfect place to put the SIM card from your home country while you travel. I always keep the case in the same spot in my roller bag, so when I reenter the country after customs, I can easily return to life online.

After I pull my Verizon SIM, I determine who has the best service in whatever country I am visiting. Then, I find a SIM-card dealer who speaks enough English to help me set up the SIM. Buy a big plan whose time will not run out, spending the extra $10 or $20, and also get a good data plan.

This will enable you to work almost

ABOVE

The author on his way to Upper Mustang, Nepal.

anywhere in the world and will give you the ability to tether your computer

sider securing it at a smaller interna-

all travel issues with a smile and a

tional airport. I was able to complete

If you have a newer model phone,

plan. Here are a few tips I’ve learned

the whole process while I waited for

you might need to call your service

over the years.

my bags after a flight to Salt Lake City.

provider to request that they unlock

Make sure to call and check hours

your phone.

Carry at least four passport photos

Do I need a power converter?

with you at all times. These will help

of operation. Also, a credit card like

you get a SIM card, deal with visas on

Chase Sapphire will pay for TSA Pre

Usually, no. Read your chargers and

arrival slowdowns, and make your

fees as well as Global Entry applica-

see if they go up to 240 volts. Most

friends laugh if you have a collection

tion fees. Global Entry automatically

products are now made for numerous

from different years and hairstyles.

enrolls you in TSA Pre, so if you can

markets and able to bridge the voltage

tick that box, it’s a great 2-for-1.

gap.

TSA Pre/Global Entry: Get it! If you

54

in some countries to On the Go WiFi.

get you down. I try my hardest to face

live in a metropolis that takes ages to

Travel medical insurance. Get it! I

apply and book an appointment, con-

use Seven Corners for short term over-

HANG GLIDING & PARAGLIDING MAGAZINE

If I have a question whether I might do damage to a device, I plug them in

through a laptop. Laptops come with a power converter that will shield your other devices from potentially damaging power spikes. If you have an Apple laptop, get the travel adapter set. It costs about $30 and is a game changer, because the combination of the two frees you from carrying the extra three- to five-pound power inverter.

Call your banks and tell them about your travel plans. Some advisors recommend having a separate account/ debit card for travel that you stock with the cash you will need for each trip. They reason that if your card gets ishes whatsoever.

stolen or lost, anyone who has it only

do not have ATM’s, in which case you

will have access to a limited amount of

will need to travel with cash. When

money. I usually don’t change money

you are getting 100-dollar bills, be

mind when I’m asked about travel. Up

before I leave the US; I use my debit

sure to check each one at the bank for

next, photography and buying souve-

pen marks or tears, as many countries

nirs! But in the meantime, what travel

will not accept bills with ANY blem-

hacks can you add to the list?

card to get cash, instead.

Some countries, however, like Iran,

These are a few tips that come to

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Launching Crestline in September 2016 | photo by Wolf Seeberg

THINKING OUTSIDE THE BLOCKS • PART XXVI EMBRACE YOUR INNER NEANDERTHAL

humans. Intelligence is fairly closely

weight was about 170 pounds. That’s

They’ve been dealt a dirty hand,

correlated with brain size in rela-

nearly what I weigh with my extra

those much-maligned Neanderthals.

tion to body size, so who’s the likely

six inches. The average Neander

We learned in school that they spoke

dummy? Maybe they were writing

would likely scare me in a dark alley.

in one-syllable sentences with words

symphonies and solving differential

Especially since they were brave

beginning with a U or an O, they ate

equations and just figured they didn’t

enough to hunt mega-bison and ward off saber-toothed tigers with a spear.

raw gazelle haunch and their form of

have to write them down since ev-

courtship was to drag their females

eryone should be able to do the same.

Item: The real mark of their de-

by the hair. They were Fred Flintstone

Furthermore, they figured out how to

serving of our admiration is their

after a lobotomy. Their demise was

survive starting with nothing on their

long-term existence. They apparently branched off the human ancestor line

brought on by infections due to scrap-

plate—no fire, no tools, no clothes in

ing their knuckles on the ground, and

the midst of widespread global cool-

to become their own people about

being so ugly that God decided to call

ing. As final evidence of their intelli-

600,000 years ago (apologies to those

in their chit. But I never bought into

gence, they didn’t elect either Donald

who believe the earth was created

that Homo sapiens-centered view-

Trump or Hillary Clinton to be their

6000 years ago). They disappeared

point. And now, science to the rescue.

ultimate leader.

around 40,000 years ago. That’s some

Item: Neanderthals had larger brains than the average current

56

by DENNIS PAGEN

HANG GLIDING & PARAGLIDING MAGAZINE

Item: Although the average male was about 5’4” to 5’5” tall, the average

520,000 years of replication and success. Homo sapiens (us) have only

down when they were much larger.

been around for 100,000 to 200,000

through some treetops before wob-

years. So, the jury is still out and has

bling away. The paragliding pilot

at least another 320,000 years to de-

had a worse time. He didn’t turn his

ters will make you a better pilot.

termine who is the best man.

canopy into the wind, got pushed

Knowing you can—and should—be

Just thinking about these mat-

right, dragged his body through

ready to make controls during the

recent DNA analysis of both modern

bushes that let the canopy get ahead

entire launch phase is a step in the

humans and Neanderthals indicates

and right of him, and essentially

right directions. Visualizing the

But none of this matters, because

that the latter didn’t necessarily go

clipped his way along the mountain

correct controls is another positive

extinct, but rather may have just dis-

downwind to the right. Miraculously

step. Imagining yourself as a power-

solved into the melting pot. This is a

he eventually got away from the hill

ful Neanderthal is a forward step in

family magazine, so we won’t go into

but could not make it leftward where

your evolution towards becoming an

details, but humankind has always

the landing fields were. He moved

expert pilot.

been rather attracted to the exotic,

away from the mountain and landed

and apparently there has been lots

in a mercy plot, cutting his flying day

THERMALING WITH INTELLIGENT DESIGN

of commingling of genes in at least

dismally short.

Recently a paraglider friend made a

three separate waves.

So, the upshot is we shouldn’t be

In both of these cases it was clear that quicker and correct reactions

comment that he would not like to fly an advanced competition wing

too smug. If you want to see a quasi-

could have saved the day. Hopefully

because it looks like the pilots are

Neanderthal in the flesh, look in

we are taught in our early lessons to

constantly making corrections. I got

the mirror. Yep, every reader has a

pilot the glider all through the takeoff

to thinking about that statement and

certain percentage of Neanderthal ge-

phase with quick reactions and con-

realized that, in fact, when I fly any

netic makeup. The percentage ranges

trols when necessary. Several other

kind of hang glider—from beginning

from about 2.5% to 4%, depending

pilots on this day had to make correc-

to topless—I am constantly correct-

on where your ancestors hail from.

tions to perform a safe launch. So the

Think of a tablespoon in three pints

takeaway from these and many other

of water to get that 4%. That amount

good launches in bad conditions,

might not change your chest hair or

scary launches or blown launches is

your brow line, but it may be just the

to get that Neanderthal legacy work-

tipping point to give you adequate

ing. Quick, automatic assessment of

strength and kinesthetics to make

what’s going wrong (Neanderthal

you a good pilot. Let’s explore some

superior brain power), and quick, au-

piloting details where our robust

tomatic control in the correct amount

ancestors may come to our aid.

(Neanderthal superior body strength

THE EVOLUTION OF LAUNCH A launch progresses through a de-

and kinesthetic) will prevent things from getting out of hand.

The most important lesson is: Don’t

fined time period. Although it may

let things happen to you. Correct

seem like it takes place in an instant

and be correct. The sooner you

in our adrenalin-addled brain, there

correct, the less you have to cor-

is actually plenty of time for things

rect. During the entire takeoff you

to go wrong and for us to react in

should be aware of constant feedback

order to correct. I recently watched

to guide your actions, much like a

about 25 pilots of both persuasions

Neanderthal chucking a spear. If the

launch in fairly strong winds up to 60

bison begins to move, he knew how

degrees across the fall line. Everyone

to correct the throw mid-toss. Just as

pulled it off with aplomb except one

with our launches, any mistake could

Hanger and one PGer. The hang glider

be deadly. I live by a herd of bison.

pilot failed to correct for a left wing

They are intimidating in their present

rising, clipped some bushes with his

size; I can’t imagine the courage it

right wing, yawed right and scraped

took to creep up and try to bring one

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57

ing in all but the baby-buttest-smooth

the air. For hang gliders, Part XIX of

them. Let your Neanderthalistic

conditions. So hang glider pilots are

this series (appearing last fall) goes

nature shine.

active flying as well.

Hang glider pilots may have a faster control and shorter decision-making

It is easy to see some pilots wallow

do not come entirely by nature—they

window of opportunity to get things

through thermals and take a long

have to be understood, discussed,

right, but the practice is well within

time to either find the thermal or find

internalized and practiced. We have

the grasp of every pilot flying a glider

the core. Such inefficient behavior

to be physical in the air if we wish

appropriate for their skill set (easier

may not be a safety factor, but it sure

to extract the most free energy from

gliders allow more time during

can be a satisfaction factor. Many

the blue. What would your inner

the flare and are more forgiving of

times a pilot who fails to grab a gift

Neanderthal do?

a slight meat-handling). A couple

left in the lower dregs while other,

CREATING GOOD LANDINGS

Tennessee I saw a shining example

more efficient pilots, ride the to the

Landing is one of the hardest things

of these matters. I watched Mitch

top where the there’s joy to be found.

for pilots to perfect (this statement is

Shipley landing at a windy, turbulent goal. I had landed just previously and

of thermal lift immediately will be

years ago at the Team Challenge in

Hang glider pilots learn to perform

doubly true for hangies). Mainly the

effective controls by carrying a bit

act requires judgment and timing.

felt the tough love from the rowdy

more control speed when necessary

But just as with launches, the land-

air, so I was intently watching Mitch’s

(in broken, gusty or strong thermal

ing process takes a finite amount of

landing. From the start of his slow

conditions). But paraglider pilots are

time during which many thing can go

flare (good headwind) to when he

the ultimate seat-of-the-pants flyers.

wrong that can be righted by a good

touched down, he made at least five

Those who best invoke weight-shift in

pilot with Neanderthal abilities.

corrections, both in pitch and roll. He

all their turns are the most successful.

Let’s concentrate on only the last phase of landing: the flare. With a

landed fine to accolades, but it could easily have been a bad beak or worse,

But safety can be also affected

paraglider, this process should be

since he got popped up and rocked

by Homo sapiens’s homeostasis.

easy, yet I see many pilots hitting

during the process. His controls were

Sometimes if you are late to react to

hard and sometimes falling. With

decisive, quick, short, strong and

conditions it can make you late to the

paragliding I never have less than

right on the money. I declare that this

party. Anyone can go online to see

a gentle no-step landings, except in

says nothing about his ancestry, but

pilots having trouble in the air. Most

light winds when I want to motor

clearly his 2.5 to 4 percent didn’t hurt

of the time it is because they made

forward so the canopy drops behind

him any.

a delayed reaction or an incorrect

me. I am sure that’s because the land-

reaction. These matters can only be

ing sequence takes place so slowly

several years (including at the fore-

prepared for by practicing the right

compared to hang gliding. (Note: I

mentioned meet) I began experienc-

control in less than the most serious

do not include high-performance

ing less than perfect landings (other

stuff. When we learn to keep control

paragliders in this landing discus-

problems like tripping while hiking

in varied turbulent and thermal con-

sion, because they have a fast flying

were ignored). I have always had

ditions, we are conditioning ourselves

speed and I see most pilots at World

pretty good landing skills, so this new deal concerned me. Was it age,

Closer to (my) home, in the last

for the big event. The sooner you rec-

Meets having to take a few running

ognize a control need and the sooner

steps even with well-timed flares.)

shoulder problems, a sinful life?

you perform the control, the less con-

The main point to consider here is

Turns out, I had a pinched spinal

trol you need to make. But if you let

that the flare process on a paraglider

cord in my neck which rendered the

things progress to the serious state

extends through enough time that a

control of my limbs degraded. During

then you will be way out of whack

good pilot can vary the flare to suit

one landing just before the diagnosis

when you recover, if you recover.

what’s happening. Wind changes,

I was in flare position, it was time to

different gradient effects, turbulence

flare but my arms would not move

Thinking about these matters is

58

into more detail about the correct actions in dire situations. Flying skills

But some do it better than others.

the first step to being a better pilot.

and other factors can be compensat-

forward a centimeter (thank goddess

By being aware that you can develop

ed for “on the fly.” Think about these

for wheels). An operation corrected

better awareness and quicker con-

matters every flight and be ready to

that and I am on the road to recovery

trols helps make you more nimble in

vary your controls while you make

(had my first post-problem flight in

HANG GLIDING & PARAGLIDING MAGAZINE

Israel in June).

What this taught me was how much I depended on agility: I would vary my flare according to what was happening. If I flared a little early, I slowed or limited the push out. If I was a bit late I detected that in the

The sooner you recognize a control need and the sooner you perform the control, the less control you need to make. But if you let things progress to the serious state then you will be way out of whack when you recover, if you recover.

first millisecond of the flare and rapidly pushed out. If I was rocked from the side or a wing started to stall and

re-channel my inner Neanderthal to

good on Fifth Avenue with perhaps

drop, I would quickly compensate.

return to excellence.

some platform shoes. No doubt Cro-

Also I would know when to take a

I was forced to think about these

Magnons found a lot to like in their

step or two and especially when to

matters, but in my view every pilot

Neanderthal neighbors, and how

move sideways if weight shift or a

should voluntarily periodically

many times did they sweep out the

crosswind demanded it. Upon reflec-

review their performance in order to

cave, whip up some potent brew and throw a rousing good party just so

tion, I can go through many landings

stay on top of their game, if not the

where I saved the day simply by being

thermals. Safety and satisfaction go

they could buck dance with a nubile

nimble and agile. Of course, I am not

hand in hand.

Neander hirsute honey? You can

alone in this type of performance. I have seen many pilots do such ma-

Paleo-artists are continu-

neuvering (Mitch’s example above),

ing to revise their drawings of

guess how that ends.

For our practical purposes, we can recognize that we inherited some of

but having to review my practices

Neanderthals. They are getting more

the propitious traits of our higher-

because of my deteriorated control

and more handsome and beautiful

order ancestors. There’s no denying,

made me more aware of what is

with each new finding. Give him a

you got the Neanderthal skill set,

required for good consistent landing

Bic, a pair of wrap-around sunnies

brainpower and physicality. Embrace

to take place. Essentially I have to

and a fedora, and I bet he’d look

your heritage.

HANG GLIDING & PARAGLIDING MAGAZINE

59

RATINGS ISSUED AUGUST 2016 RTG RGN NAME

STATE RATING OFFICIAL

RTG RGN NAME

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

CA NE MN MA NC FL NY NY CA CA CA CA ID MN WI MD PA NC TN AL NC TN FL FL MS NY OR CA CA CA CA CA CO AR PA MD FL FL CA CA MA FL TN GA OR OR OR CA CA CA CA CA CA CA CA CA CA CA CA CA CA CA CA CA CA CA CO

P-1 P-1 P-1 P-1 P-1 P-1 P-1 P-1 P-1 P-1 P-1 P-1 P-2 P-2 P-2 P-2 P-2 P-2 P-2 P-2 P-2 P-2 P-2 P-2 P-2 P-2 P-2 P-2 P-2 P-2 P-2 P-2 P-2 P-2 P-2 P-2 P-2 P-2 P-2 P-2 P-2 P-2 P-2 P-2 P-2 P-2 P-2 P-2 P-2 P-2 P-2 P-2 P-2 P-2 P-2 P-2 P-2 P-2 P-2 P-2 P-2 P-2 P-2 P-2 P-2 P-2 P-2

2 6 7 8 10 10 12 12 2 2 2 3 5 7 7 9 9 10 10 10 10 10 10 10 10 12 1 2 2 2 2 3 4 6 9 9 10 10 2 2 8 10 10 10 1 1 1 2 2 2 2 2 2 2 3 3 3 3 3 3 3 3 3 3 3 3 4

Masayo Miyauchi Margaret Taylor Allen Stabner Nick Stillwell John Price Robin New Douglas Godfrey Peter Biggers Ravikant Vemparala Jascha Lee Sarah Ingram Thomas Evans Rick Morrison Zachary Johnson Dan Jaworski Eric Olsen Johander Navas Mike Auten Deanna Beasley Peter Johnson Stewart Roth Mark Callender Alfons (ted) Rauch Robin New Samuel Prewitt Gary Virtue Mark Rabe David Egli Dirk Luoma James Kundrat Matt Sims Ephi Blanshey Derek Ridge Tyler Trent Blaine Cover Ghassan Shaanon Christian Jimenez Robin New Rob Johnson Mike Smith Max Kotchouro Robert Hagewood Erik Grabowski Brian Morris Himanshu Suri Blake Gornowicz Ryan Johnson Erik Wong Christopher Greci Sherin Chakkalakel Chris Kennedy Paul York James York Peter Satitpunwaycha Lance Rocker Frank Hoerman Alan Yu Ted Um Jay Um William Ralphs Erica Matsushima Joshua Dinen Cristophe Deturmeny Alina Grayeske Jaewon Song Jeffrey Kile Sean Wallstrom

Patrick Denevan Doyle Johnson Doyle Johnson Alan Friday Richard Westmoreland James Tindle Amy Roseboom Amy Roseboom Robert Booth Patrick Denevan John (sterling) Burnett Rob Mckenzie D Patrick Mcguinness Doyle Johnson Jeremy Armstrong Adam Elchin John Alden Scott Schneider Scott Schneider Scott Schneider Scott Schneider Scott Schneider James Tindle James Tindle Clifton Bryan Greg Black Larry Jorgensen Clark Frentzen David Brose John Simpson Eric Hinrichs John Heiney Mark Windsheimer Melton Hair Ward Odenwald Iii Rhett Radford James Tindle James Tindle John Simpson William Dydo Eric Meibos James Tindle Scott Schneider Scott Schneider Maren Ludwig Maren Ludwig Kelly Kellar Wallace Anderson Wallace Anderson Jesse Meyer Jeffrey Greenbaum Jeffrey Greenbaum Jeffrey Greenbaum Jesse Meyer Jerome Daoust Jordan Neidinger Jordan Neidinger Giuseppe Free Giuseppe Free Jordan Neidinger Jordan Neidinger Jordan Neidinger Michael Masterson Jordan Neidinger Giuseppe Free Jerome Daoust Gregory Kelley

6 6 6 8 8 8 8 8 9 9 10 10 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 2 2 2 2 2 2 2 2 2 2 2 3 3 3 3 3 3 3 3 3 3 3 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 5 5 5

Eric Delattre Hau Shek Wah Brian Ezelle Sandra Eldon Samuel Caarr Charles Ide Joseph Howell Iii Shawn Bunnell Ardavan Roozbeh William Millette Aaron Stocum Ann Nguyen Dawn Rauch Ray Rogers Jason Van Brunt Nathaniel Mote Vatik Dulo Christopher Esh Kenton Stephens Andrew Gaiovyi Evan Larson Clay Riley Ilia Timonin Monique Brown Vasiliy Politilo Erin Briddick Christopher Dziubek Kory Cain Justin Auman William Nick Andrew Wilson Douglas Wirth Karl Heiman Erik Grow Alexander Schlaupitz Audra Schlaupitz Miasa Shrestha Lili Wang Charles Reis Brian Hsu Patrick Dempsey Demian Mcconnell Arthur Mischke Lea Turano William Ralphs Steve Carter Michele Carter Alex Gray Rob Eschbach Josh Welliver Robert Bower Iii Erik Hutchinson Gordon Harman Kendrick Dane Michael Alexander Alexandra Benning Nathan Briggs Megan Mcgrath Ben Germann Alexandra Coconis Kinloch Earle Brad Spurgin Jacob Delfin Jared Lewis Anthony Sergi Ryan Schwab Teal Cummisk

STATE RATING OFFICIAL

OK NH VT MA MA NH MD KY FL FL WA OR OR WA WA AK AK WA OR OR WA OR OR OR WA AK WA OR CA CA CA CA CA CA CA CA CA CA NV CA CA CA CA CA CA CA CA CA CA HI UT NM UT AZ CO CO CO UT UT CO CO CO MT MT MT

Steven Yancey Steven Yancey Ron Kohn John Dunn John Dunn John Dunn John Dunn John Dunn Sam Pasha Jordan Neidinger Jordan Neidinger Michael Masterson Denise Reed Kevin Lee Kevin Lee Steven Wilson Kelly Kellar Justin Boer Chris Santacroce Justin Boer Maren Ludwig Kevin Lee Marc Chirico Jon Malmberg Brad Hill Daniel Randall Marc Chirico Chris Reynolds Michael (kim) Smith Chris Santacroce Wallace Anderson Joel Mcminn Joel Mcminn Jeffrey Greenbaum Jesse Meyer Jesse Meyer Jesse Meyer Jeffrey Greenbaum Jeffrey Greenbaum Jordan Neidinger Stephen Nowak Lorenzo Romano Jordan Neidinger Jordan Neidinger Jordan Neidinger Christopher Grantham Christopher Grantham Stephen Nowak Stephen Nowak Stephen Nowak Stephen Nowak David (dexter) Binder Patrick Johnson Chris Santacroce Ronald Allmon Mitchell Neary Gregory Kelley Jonathan Jefferies Etienne Pienaar Jonathan Jefferies Jonathan Jefferies Jonathan Jefferies William Purden Jr Jonathan Jefferies Joshua Winstead Andy Macrae Andy Macrae

RTG RGN NAME

P-2 P-2 P-2 P-2 P-2 P-2 P-2 P-2 P-2 P-2 P-2 P-2 P-2 P-2 P-2 P-2 P-2 P-2 P-2 P-2 P-2 P-2 P-2 P-2 P-2 P-2 P-2 P-2 P-2 P-3 P-3 P-3 P-3 P-3 P-3 P-3 P-3 P-3 P-3 P-3 P-3 P-3 P-3 P-3 P-3 P-3 P-3 P-3 P-3 P-3 P-3 P-3 P-3 P-3 P-3 P-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

5 5 6 6 6 7 7 8 8 8 8 8 8 9 9 9 9 9 9 9 9 10 10 10 10 10 10 11 12 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 2 2 2 3 3 3 3 3 3 3 3 4 4 4 4 4 5 5 7 9 10 10 10 11 11 1 2 4 4 4 5 11

STATE RATING OFFICIAL

Emma Bode MT Davis Mcneil ID Siu On Raymond Li Seyed Ali Mousavi Alireza Davoodabadi Ronnie Corbu MI Ryan Sherman MN Alex Harrington NH Richard Ackerman NH Kris Harrington NH Eugene Boisvert NH John Lahey MA Alek Jadkowski VT Terry Mull OH Mark Maltese OH Ardavan Roozbeh MD Eric Naranjo MD William Millette KY Ian Miller PA Richard Lecki OH Naser Al Madi OH Steve Miller FL Jennifer Austin SC Jay Phelps AL Jerry Christopher NC Ray Christopher NC Dean Hatten FL Jaime Santamaria TX Franco Braggion NJ Heather Amaryllis OR Aaron Spitz OR Brian Wright WA Wesley Heustess WA Brianna Armour WA Shalin Turner WA Bryan Anthony WA Daniel Fourie CA Evan Simmons CA Soren Berg CA Alexander Ponomarev CA Mark Macwhirter CA Michael Ince CA Steven Sims CA Deron Collins CA Soyoung Cho CA Joseph Hart CA Eunyoung Cho CA Larry Tudor CO Will (branson) Worsencroft UT Calvin Davenport CO Alan Sheppard AZ Scott Ellis UT Matthew Puglia ID Jameson Zuk WY David Laxson MN Tucker Long OH Tyler Williams SC Thomas Jaeger FL Jorge Caro FL Jaime Santamaria TX Valter Castilho TX Joshua Murray OR Guido Zavagli CA Jan Zschenderlein NM Ty Gunnlaugsson CO Rob Gowler UT Chad Jakubowski WY Jaime Santamaria TX

Andy Macrae Jason White Tung Ng Seyed Alireza Amidi Namin Seyed Alireza Amidi Namin Keith Riemersma William Purden Jr Heath Woods Heath Woods Heath Woods Heath Woods Heath Woods Calef Letorney David Hanning Mert Kacmaz Sam Pasha Patrick Johnson Giuseppe Free Andy Macrae Jonathan Jefferies Jonathan Potter Douglas Brown David Hanning David Hanning Jonathan Jefferies Jonathan Jefferies Andy Macrae Miguel Gutierrez Philippe Renaudin Chris Santacroce Steve Roti Jon Malmberg Jon Malmberg Jon Malmberg Marc Chirico Marc Chirico Jesse Meyer Jesse Meyer Jesse Meyer Gabriel Jebb Philip Russman Gabriel Jebb Brad Gunnuscio Max Marien Stanley (kyon) Ki Hong Jordan Neidinger Stanley (kyon) Ki Hong Chris Santacroce Russ Bateman Jonathan Jefferies Aaron Cromer Jonathan Jefferies Charles (chuck) Smith Scott Harris Jonathan Jefferies Bill Heaner David Hanning David Hanning Alejandro Palmaz Miguel Gutierrez David Prentice Steve Roti Jesse Meyer David Prentice David Thulin Kevin Mcginley Scott Harris Miguel Gutierrez

RATINGS ISSUED SEPTEMBER 2016 RTG RGN NAME

STATE RATING OFFICIAL

RTG RGN NAME

H-1 H-1 H-1 H-1 H-1 H-1 H-1 H-1

2 2 2 3 7 8 9 10

Gregg Servis Lili Falsken Tiffany Woo Robert T. Waschak Brent Addington Frederick Terpe Khaled Khatib Janet Chesson

CA CA CA CA IN CT VA NC

Patrick Denevan Eric Hinrichs William Dydo William Dydo Jordan Stratton John (sterling) Burnett Brian Leisenring Jordan Stratton

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

10 10 1 2 2 3 3 7 7 8 8 9 10 10 10 1 2 6 7 10 10 12 12 1 2 4 9 9 11 1 1 1 1 2 2 2 2 3 3 4 4 5 5 6 8 8 9 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1

Crystal Wallace Chris Loar Craig Meyer Shaun Matthies Vijay Kotecha Jeff Odle Sujata Sen John Wiest David Wagner Gikas Kakouros Sam Washburn Matt Morrow Adam Rettberg Stephen Duvall Nathan Contreras Tanyel Yildirok David Lathrop Vernon Oakley Megan Mcconnell Matthew Spitalny Jeffery Elliott E John Delmonte Tim Thompson Gabriel Dinu Peter Suchanek Brian Leisenring Dennis Cornett Steven Martin James Race Ryan Kent Florin Cristurean Aric Krause Petr Gvozd Eric Hinrichs Lisa Lesser Paul De Chatelperron David Conger Chris Kuech Tyler Langenfeld Nicolas Ziegler Brennan Nicks Ryan Fast James Langdon Safdar Djoyaeian Philip Ilten Christopher Freeman Andria Gragg Deborah Dubois George Tolbert Laren Hale Shawn Oleary Barbara Oleary Skye Stafford Ema Robinson Blake Gornowicz Norman Smith Weston Morrison Nathaniel Haley

FL NC OR CA CA CA CA WI MN MA MA OH TN GA FL OR CA

James Tindle Jordan Stratton Scott Schneider Patrick Denevan Arturo Melean Andrew Beem Greg Dewolf Rik Bouwmeester Rik Bouwmeester Rhett Radford John (sterling) Burnett Theodore Hurley Scott Schneider Scott Schneider James Tindle Matthew Taber Eric Hinrichs John Heiney Matthew Taber Matthew Taber Scott Schneider Rick Brown Josh Laufer Korbet Mceniry John Simpson H Bruce Weaver Iii John Alden John Alden David Broyles Brad Hill Maren Ludwig Maren Ludwig Marc Chirico Jeffrey Greenbaum Jesse Meyer Jeffrey Greenbaum Mitchell Neary Giuseppe Free Jordan Neidinger Jonathan Jefferies Gregory Kelley Ken Hudonjorgensen Joshua Winstead Seyed Alireza Amidi Namin Joseph Seitz John Dunn David Hanning Steven Wilson Scott Amy John Kraske Nathaniel Mcclure Nathaniel Mcclure Steve Roti Maren Ludwig Brad Hill Ross Jacobson Nathan (alex) Taylor Nathan (alex) Taylor

P-2 P-2 P-2 P-2 P-2 P-2 P-2 P-2 P-2 P-2 P-2 P-2 P-2 P-2 P-2 P-2 P-2 P-2 P-2 P-2 P-2 P-2 P-2 P-2 P-2 P-2 P-2 P-2 P-2 P-2 P-2 P-2 P-2 P-2 P-2 P-2 P-2 P-2 P-2 P-2 P-2 P-2 P-2 P-2 P-2 P-2 P-2 P-2 P-2 P-2 P-2 P-2 P-2 P-2 P-2 P-2 P-2 P-2 P-2 P-2 P-2 P-2 P-2 P-2 P-2 P-2

MN TN FL NY NY OR CA UT OH OH TX OR OR WA WA CA CA CA CA CA CA UT CO ID MA MA KY WA AK OR WA WA OR WA OR WA AK AK

1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 2 2 2 2 2 2 2 2 2 2 2 2 3 3 3 3 3 3 3 3 3 3 3 3 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 5 5 5 5 5 5 5 6 6 6 6 7 8 8 8 9 9 9 10 10 10

STATE RATING OFFICIAL

Aric Krause WA Jim Rathbun WA Matt Brewer OR Sara Wyland OR Jared Willis OR Evan Garcia WA James Byrd WA Austin Cox WA Nikos Ridge OR Sam Dale WA David Weber WA Matthias Giraud OR Gerry Pesavento CA Thomas Pray CA Oisin Lavery CA Karl Krumme CA Stephen Leak CA Chris Kennedy CA Paul York CA James York CA Willem Boshoff CA Leila Janah CA Skyler Reeves CA Ashwin Ramachandran CA Lance Rocker CA James Stark CA Chris Logan CA Jason Signorelli CA Joshua Dinen CA Jaewon Song CA Patrick Kessler HI Christina Healey CA Michael-james Hey CA Paul Yarborough CA Chris Dunagan CA Brayden Auten CA Dan Walters CO Paulina Jenney AZ Nicolas Ziegler UT Kevin Farrell CO Jan Schullerus AZ Charles Bell CO William Bordy UT William Stampfle CO Derek Parks CO Blake Votilla MT Benjamin Brunsvold MT Scott Stringer MT Ryan Fast Erik Lillquist MT Yachao Ren MT Logan Black WY Kwok Hei Leung Wong Wan Sang Safdar Djoyaeian Julien Berthomier Calen Albert WI Thomas Peghiny CT Caitlin Welby MA Brent Crum VT Ramak Reyhanian VA Andria Gragg KY John Mccarthy OH John Goodwin GA Aaron Stocum FL Chelsea Phelps AL

Maren Ludwig Nathaniel Mcclure Daniel Randall Daniel Randall Daniel Randall Matt Henzi Matt Henzi Nathaniel Mcclure Chris Santacroce Denise Reed Nathaniel Mcclure Jon Malmberg Jesse Meyer Wallace Anderson Jesse Meyer Jeffrey Greenbaum Wallace Anderson Jeffrey Greenbaum Jeffrey Greenbaum Jeffrey Greenbaum Jesse Meyer Jesse Meyer Andy Macrae Jesse Meyer Jerome Daoust Jerome Daoust Jordan Neidinger Jordan Neidinger Jordan Neidinger Giuseppe Free Justin Boer Rob Sporrer Rob Sporrer Christopher Grantham Rob Sporrer Stephen Nowak Ted Smith Denise Reed Jonathan Jefferies Kay Tauscher Jerome Daoust Nathan (alex) Taylor Stephen Mayer Jordan Neidinger Douglas Brown Joshua Winstead Joshua Winstead Chris Santacroce Ken Hudonjorgensen Joshua Winstead Andy Macrae Jonathan Jefferies Yuen Wai Kit Yuen Wai Kit Seyed Alireza Amidi Namin Peter Humes Jonathan Jefferies Heath Woods Denise Reed Rick Sharp Sam Pasha David Hanning Jonathan Jefferies Jonathan Jefferies William Purden Jr David Hanning

RTG RGN NAME

STATE RATING OFFICIAL

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

NC NC AL TX TX TX NY OR OR OR WA WA WA OR WA CA CA NV CA CA CA CA CA CO CO UT UT

10 10 10 11 11 11 12 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 2 2 2 2 3 3 3 3 4 4 4 4 5 6 6 9 1 1 1 2 3 4 4 5 5 6 6 9

John Nolan Ryan Kerschen Andrew Christensen Raymundo Estrada Jr Sherry Hume Will Winkler Jeff Butler Allison Wibby Peter Powers James Dukes David Smith Jay Gifford Lorenzo Lodi Rizzini John Cady Iii Isaac Levinson Richard Sibley Chris Carolin Michael Martin Dipankar Roy Jonathan Ong Jessica Frump Austin Ryan Roberts Eun Seop Jung Seth Wettlin Martin Johnson Nicholas Lavallee Nicolas Ziegler Anthony Evans Jafar Djoyaeian Safdar Djoyaeian Andrew Marril Brian Franklin Steven Burton Nathaniel Mcclure Daniel Kelley Jeff Hedlund J Karl Welter Trenton Rich Aaron Schreiber John Hovey Jafar Djoyaeian Tulay Aydin Yildiz Dwayne Mccourt

VA WA WA AK CA HI CO UT WY ID

WV

Jonathan Jefferies William Purden Jr David Hanning Stephen Nowak Stephen Nowak Jonathan Jefferies Christopher Grantham Maren Ludwig Brad Hill Maren Ludwig Brad Hill Matt Henzi Marc Chirico Jon Malmberg Matt Henzi Jesse Meyer Jesse Meyer Mitchell Neary Wallace Anderson Jordan Neidinger Richard Kennedy Jon Malmberg Stanley (kyon) Ki Hong Etienne Pienaar Alejandro Palmaz William Purden Jr Jonathan Jefferies Ken Hudonjorgensen Seyed Alireza Amidi Namin Seyed Alireza Amidi Namin Gabriel Jebb Douglas Stroop Marc Chirico Douglas Stroop Jerome Daoust David (dexter) Binder Ryan Taylor Stacy Whitmore Scott Harris Blake Pelton Seyed Alireza Amidi Namin Murat Tuzer Peter Van Oevelen

Take your ratings and expiration date everywhere you fly. Download from the Members Only section of the USHPA website.

Print, trim, and store in your wallet. Great for areas without cell coverage.Always available at www.USHPA.aero Save the PDF on your mobile device for easy reference.

HANG GLIDING & PARAGLIDING MAGAZINE

61

HOW TO USE

CALENDAR & CLASSIFIED CALENDAR, CLINIC & TOUR LISTINGS can be submitted online at http://www.ushpa.aero/email _ events.asp. A minimum 3-month lead time is required on all submissions and tentative events will not be published. For more details on submissions, as well as complete information on the events 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 80901-1330. 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) 632-6417 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.

USHPA 2017 SPRING Board of Directors Meeting March 2-5 Golden, CO info at www.ushpa.org

CALENDAR clinics & tours THRU APR 16 > Valle De Bravo, Mexico. Week-long

packages, returning client discounts, HG/PG packages, inquire about bronze, silver, gold, platinum rates. 25 years experience. More info: Jeff Hunt, 512-467-2529, jeff@flymexico.com, or flymexico. com.

THRU JAN 15 > Valle de Bravo, Mexico. Fly south this winter with FlyCuervo! World-class lodging and logistics in world famous Valle de Bravo! The best valued tour package available. Improve your thermal and xc skills with advanced instructor and master guide David Prentice, aka “Cuervo,” with more than 20 years of experience and 17 years guiding in Valle de Bravo. Valle de Bravo has something to offer every pilot skill level and is a great family vacation destination. More info: David Prentice, 505-720-5436, or www.flycuervo.com.

JAN 7-13 > Paraglide in paradise! One week tours

start Saturday morning in San Jose and end after flying on Friday. We usually fly 3-5 different sites, including some ridge sites and some mountain sites.

January is perfect for low air time pilots, or even those who want to complete their P-2. Lots of time for beach and jungle exploration also!

JAN 13-15, 20-22, 27-29 & FEB 3-5> Thailand.

Winter SIV courses in Thailand with legendary Himalayan pilot Debu Choudury. The course includes radios, life jackets, motorised rescue boat, transport, radio guidance, theory classes, & reserve repack. $895 includes the course and transport to/from Bangkok airport, plus self-catering villa accommodation for 3 nights. More info: info@300peaks.com, or 300peaks.com.

JAN 14-20 & 21-27, JAN 28 - FEB 3, FEB 4-10 & 11-17 > Fly with toucans and macaws! January is

a perfect time for lower airtime pilots. February is great for all levels. March is a bit stronger, better for intermediate or advanced pilots. We fly various sites during the week, and we fly every day. last year we missed 2 days of flying in 3 months! Come work on skills, and enjoy the beach and jungle in the off time.

Non-flying companions welcome. We always have small groups, so plenty of individual attention.

JAN 17 - FEB 26 > Valle del Cauca, Colombia. Fly Colombia! The Valle del Cauca, Colombia has quickly become one of the most popular winter paragliding destinations. Valle del Cauca offers consistent world-class xc potential with breathtaking views.

Improve your thermal and XC skills with advanced instructor and master guide David Prentice. More info: David Prentice, 505-720-5436, or www.flycuervo.com.

JAN 23-30 (2017)> Tapalpa, Mexico. Tapalpa P-2

Week. Tapalpa is the site of 2003 World Cup & 1 1/2 hour drive from Guadalajara Airport. With big launch and landing areas and no crowds, this is the best in Mexico! With two other sites nearby, there is always a place to fly. Private hotel room, breakfast, airport pickup and deliver, site fees & coaching by USHPA advanced instructor are included for $1800. More info: http://parasoftparagliding.com/mexico-flying/

JAN 27 - FEB 4, FEB 4-12 & 12-20 > Eagle Paragliding 2017 Colombia Tours. Expect amazing flying in Colombia, with cloud filled skies, and friendly landing options. Eagle tours are for pilots of all levels, and we strive on meeting your personal goals.

Eagle tours stand alone because of our experience, and the people we bring to guide. Our tours sell out yearly, and 70% of the participants are returners. The instructional tandem flights we offer as part of the tour are an amazing educational opportunity. More info: rob@eagleparagliding.com, http://shop.eagleparagliding.com/colombia, or www.eagleparagliding .com.

JAN 30 - FEB 6 > Tapalpa, Mexico. Tapalpa P3 Week. Tapalpa is the site of 2003 World Cup & 1 1/2 hour drive from Guadalajara Airport. With big launch and landing areas and no crowds, this is the best in Mexico! With two other sites nearby, there is always a place to fly. Private hotel room, breakfast, airport pickup and deliver, site fees & coaching by USHPA advanced instructor are included for $1800. More info: http://parasoftparagliding.com/mexico-flying/ FEB 5-15, FEB 18 - MAR 1, MAR 5-15 & 19-29 >

Thailand. Our tours cater to all level of pilots. Unprecedented variety of flying options including both Flatland and Mountain XC flying, Ridge Soaring, Arco, SIV and Towing. The tour includes Bangkok transfers, all transport and retrieves, luxury accommodation, scooter hire, cooking classes, snorkeling trip, kite surfing lessons and much more. Our world class guides will ensure you get the most out of every day in paradise. $2450 per person (single occupancy)$2290 per person (twin/double). More info: info@300peaks.com, or 300peaks.com.

FEB 11-26 > Valle del Cauca: Piedechinche, Rolda-

nillo & Anserma Nuevo. 2nd Paragliding and Yoga Tour, Colombia 2017. P3 and P4 pilots only. Arriving February 11 and departing February 26 from Cali (CLO). Early bird price until October 1st: $2,300 includes: accommodation in traditional fincas or hotels, breakfast, ground transportation, briefing and coaching by top pilot and instructor Carlos Concha.

Yoga sessions with Sofia. Spanish, salsa and merengue lessons on the fly. To reserve your spot please send an email to Sofia sepuerta@yahoo.com, and for more information check out http://www.shiwido. com/tours.html.

FEB 18-24, FEB 25 - MAR 3, MAR 4-10, 11-17 & 18-24 > Fly with toucans and macaws! February is

great for all levels. March is a bit stronger, better for intermediate or advanced pilots. We fly various sites during the week, and we fly every day, soaring and mountain sites. Last year we missed 2 days of flying in 3 months! Come work on skills, and enjoy the beach and jungle in the off time. Non-flying companions welcome. We always have small groups, so plenty of individual attention.

JUN 6-15 > Come fly the most beautiful sites in the Eastern Alps. We’ll be flexible depending on conditions, but our emphasis is cross country flying for intermediate and advanced pilots. early June is a great time to fly the area, great conditions, strong but not ballistic! Before the crowds of summer tourism. Non-flying companions are welcome if they want to drive retrieve! (just kidding, sort of!)

FLY-INS MAR 31 - APR 1 > Join us for two days to celebrate

general aviation. Fun for the whole family. Helicopter rides, BBQ cook off, car show, pilot seminars, local vendors, and demonstrations. Patty Wagstaff: Hall Of Fame Aerobatic Champion, Tiger Flight Formation Flight Team, and Army Aviation Heritage Foundation will all be here. Come out for sun, fun, and comradeship. Just miles from the sugar white beaches of Walton County.

CLASSIFIED

EXOTIC THAILAND X/C CLINIC - Phu Thap Boek,Thailand's most awesome,highest flying site 5,200ASL.Open to P-2 and above.Come learn how to fly high and far! Very inexpensive! More info: pchumes@ gmail.com FLYMEXICO - VALLE DE BRAVO for Winter and year round flying tours and support. Hang Gliding, Paragliding.

Guiding, gear, instruction, transportation, lodging. www. flymexico.com +1 512-467-2529 Paragliding Tours 2017 with USHPA Advanced

Instructor and veteran guide Nick Crane. Jan/Feb/Mar - Costa Rica; Jun/Sep/Oct - Europe; Mar/Dec - Brazil. www.paracrane.com; www.costaricaparagliding.com; nick@paracrane.com

MISCELLANEOUS

MONTANA Bozeman Paragliding - Montana’s full time connection for paragliding, speedflying, & paramotoring instruction & gear. Maneuvers courses, thermal tours abroad, online store. www.bozemanparagliding.com

Fly beyond! with the Oudie

Flight On Fire Mountain - "A young paraglider finds

his inner strength high above a blazing inferno." - KIRKUS REVIEW. Available on Amazon and other websites.

PARTS & ACCESSORIES 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 SPECIALTY WHEELS for airfoil basetubes, round ba-

setubes, or tandem landing gear. 262-473-8800, www. hanggliding.com.

• Touchscreen • Color moving map • Highly customizable • Thermal assistant

POWERED & TOWING Pilots: FREE Crossover Training when you

purchase your Miniplane Paramotor! Instructors: Add PPG to your offerings and watch the fun begin! Visit our website for more info: www.Miniplane-USA.com/USHPA

Flytec.com • 800.662.2449

SCHOOLS & INSTRUCTORS CALIFORNIA EAGLE PARAGLIDING - SANTA BARBARA - the best year-round flying in the USA. Award winning Instruction, excellent mountain and ridge sites. More than one instructor,www.FlySantaBarbara.com, (805) 968-0980

BUsINESS & EMPLOYMENT www.flying.camp is hiring professional USHPA-

certified Tandem Pilots & Instructors 4 the 2017 season (April thru Oct) Application w/ resume & references required. Salary based on experience. Details? Email Dave info@tnfly.com

CLINICS & TOURS BAJA MEXICO - La Salina Baja's BEST BEACHFRONT

Airsport Venue: PG, HG, PPG: FlyLaSalina.com. by BajaBrent.com, He’ll hook you up! Site intros, tours, & rooms. bajabrent@bajabrent.com, 760-203-2658

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. 970-641-9315.

HAWAII PROFLYGHT PARAGLIDING - Call Dexter for friendly information about flying on Maui. Full service school offering beginner to advanced instruction, year round.

808-874-5433 paraglidemaui.com

HANG GLIDING & PARAGLIDING MAGAZINE

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90-year old USHPA pilot, Otto Von Rosen | photo by Viveka Von Rosen >

NEW HAMPSHIRE

NORTH CAROLINA

MORNINGSIDE - A Kitty Hawk Kites flight park. The

KITTY HAWK KITES - The largest hang gliding school in the world, teaching since 1974. Learn to hang glide and paraglide on the East Coast's largest sand dune. Yearround instruction, foot launch and tandem aerotow. 1902 Wright Glider Experience available. Dealer for all major manufacturers. Learn to fly where the Wright Brothers flew, located at the beach on NC's historic Outer Banks.

Also visit our NH location, Morningside Flight Park. 252441-2426, 1-877-FLY-THIS, www.kittyhawk.com

Northeast's premier hang gliding and paragliding training center, teaching since 1974. Hang gliding foot launch and tandem aerowtow training. Paragliding foot launch and tandem training. Powered Paragliding instruction. Dealer for all major manufacturers. Located in Charlestown, NH. Also visit our North Carolina location, Kitty Hawk Kites Flight School. 603-542-4416, www.flymorningside.com

TEXAS FLYTEXAS TEAM - training pilots in Central Texas for 25 years. Hang Gliding, Paragliding, Trikes. Hangar facilities Lake LBJ, Luling, Smithville www.flytexas.com 512-4672529

UTAH Wings Over Wasatch Hang Gliding, LLC - Tandem lessons, solo instruction and equipment sales. Mountain tours and supported XC trips. 603-545-2774 Come fly with us: www.WingsOverWasatch.com

VIRGINIA BLUE SKY - Virginia's full time HG/PG school. All forms of towing, Custom sewing/repairs, WW, Icaro, Airborne, Moyes, Woody Valley, HES, AerosPG, Aerolight, Mosquito. 804-241-4324, www.blueskyhg.com

REAL ESTATE Beautiful brow home on Lookout Mountain, GA. 3 BR, 4 bath, 2450sq ft. 3 acres, 2 car garage, 2 miles from Lookout Mountain Flight Park Chattanooga, TN. Move in ready http://www.remax-georgia.com/ Home/5459-Scenic-Hwy-Rising-Fawn-GA-30738/ CHX/1246787/

WINGS & HARNESSES 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 FLY CENTER OF GRAVITY CG-1000 - The most

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Individually designed for a precise fit. Fly in comfort. www.flycenterofgravity.com; flycenterofgravity@gmail. com; 315-256-1522

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4005 Vario Good Condition $400.00 Bill Scroggins 501-680-0547 Arkansas

Used cocoon harness for sale. With back up parachute. I'm 220 #, 6'2" and it is snug. $125 plus shipping. bmeshako@aol.com

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FINAL 90 YEARS YOUNG

by C.J. STURTEVANT Last October,

Otto Von Rosen

(USHPA #37699) celebrated his 90th

License with sea endorsement, and

of Philadelphia in the Chaco. When

worked two years as a flight instructor

birthday with a day of hang glid-

this guy heard I was a pilot, he sug-

for Laurentide Aviation.” Then Max

ing, flights #1652-56 according to his

gested that perhaps I could get a

Ward came to Montreal in 1959; Otto

logbook. If the application submitted

plane to shuttle people and freight to

joined the Wardair team and ended up

by his daughter and son-in-law is

the colony from Asuncion.” Through

in Yellowknife flying DH Otters. A year

approved, he also flew his way into

1940s-style networking Otto acquired

later, Pacific Western Airlines needed

the Guinness Book of Records as the

the plane and the necessary train-

an Arctic pilot based in Yellowknife.

oldest hang glider pilot in the US. “I’m

ing. “I spent an interesting year flying

just an old chap cruising among the

it, with my classmate functioning as

clouds, going nowhere, but loving

flight engineer.”

it,” says Otto. “On my 90th birthday,

The ‘50s brought Otto back to

Otto leapt at the opportunity, which “turned out to be one of the best times I have had,” he says, “flying scheduled and charter flights on wheel, skis and

it was not very soarable at Lookout

Sweden as an administrative trainee

floats in the Arctic and all over NWT

Mountain Flight Park. I had five tows,

with the Swedish Ball Bearing com-

and BC.” In 1962 Otto met Dolores, a teacher

all sleds except the last one later in

pany (SKF). “No piloting involved,”

the day. Very light thermals gave

Otto laments, but that didn’t last

in San Diego City. They married in

me close to an hour in my Falcon 3.

long. When his buddy from the

1963 and she took a position teach-

Soaring or not, it is always great to be

Paraguay adventure, now assistant

ing in Fort Smith, up in Canada’s

up with a hang glider. It is the best of

coffee plantation manager in Nairobi,

Northwest Territories, where Otto was

times, with all those great people on

contacted him in 1954, Otto “ended up

now base pilot. In 1966 he requested

the ground and the Falcon in the air....”

flying part-time as relief pilot for the

a transfer to the sales department,

Kenya police Air Wing, and part-time

although he remained available as

flying style as a nonagenarian, but

managing a coffee farm near Nairobi

a relief pilot when needed. When

his six decades in aviation on four

for the Swedish Consul—nothing very

Scandinavian Airlines offered him a

continents hint at a different story

substantial,” he adds, but obviously

sales manager position in Edmonton,

entirely. Born in Sweden in 1926, Otto

memorable. A couple years later, on

Alberta, with double the salary, he

earned his private pilot license in

a tip that Scandinavian Airlines was

took it. Two years later, in 1968, Viveka

1946—before most of us were born!—

looking for pilots, Otto flew home to

was born.

and discovered that “in the air” was

Sweden for an interview. “Not enough

“Going nowhere” may describe Otto’s

When his daughter was four, Otto

where he wanted to be. But how to

experience compared to the young

was promoted to district sales man-

make that happen? A broken kneecap

Air Force pilots,” he sighs, so he didn’t

ager at the SAS Office in Detroit,

derailed his hopes of becoming a pilot

get the job. What he did get while in

Michigan. The family moved to

in Sweden’s Air Force, but a trip to

Sweden: his commercial pilot license.

Windsor, Ontario, and Otto became a

Paraguay in 1949 with a former classmate got his dreams back on track.

“In Asuncion, the capital of Paraguay,” Otto recalls, “we met the head of the

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operations of the Mennonite colony

HANG GLIDING & PARAGLIDING MAGAZINE

In 1957 a friend in Toronto con-

commuter to Detroit (an easy interna-

tacted Otto about a need for local

tional jaunt across the Detroit River)

flight instructors. So he “hopped over,

until he retired in 1988.

got my Canadian Commercial Pilot’s

On a casual trip to visit friends

in San Diego in 1981, Otto heard something about hang gliding at

“If you love to fly hang gliders, age does not apply.”

Torrey Pines, and his life was forDolores retired in 1997, and they

could not believe my eyes. Here were

moved to their present home in South

male and female pilots of all ages

Carolina, where Otto continues to

just leaving the ground under the

enjoy all his favorite pursuits: flying

hang gliders, out over the water, and

hang gliders and ultralights, kayaking,

climbing away.” Tandem pilot John

biking, and just about anything active

Ryan thoroughly explained to this

and outdoors.

veteran power pilot what hang gliding

Over the years Otto has sampled

was about and immediately took him

wings from most of the major manu-

up for his first tandem flight. “What

facturers: Pac Air Vision, Wills Wing

I remember most,” reminisces Otto, “was the total lack of effort it took John

Sport, Magic Kiss, Airborne Sting, North Wing Horizon. Currently he

to get us up in the air. Way up! I got to

flies a WW Falcon 3. “Since I am slight-

fly a bit. I was sold. This was going to

ly elderly I went for the lightest glider,

be my main sport!” he exclaims, the

easy to land, still with good thermal

passion in his response still strong 35

capability and glide ratio. I wanted to

years later. “The landing was spec-

look good in the air and show off with

tacular,” he continues, and clarifies:

perfect landings,” he laughs.

“John just set us down in between the

He’s slowed down a bit since his hip

crowd—it seemed to me like a helicop-

and knee replacements in 2012. These

ter landing. I will never forget it!” Otto

days he lands on wheels—“saves on

was hooked into hang gliding after that one flight; he was 52 years young at the time.

Photo by Viveka Von Rosen

ever changed. “I went over there, and

downtubes,” he admits, and adds, “landings are a piece of cake, finally...”

About five years ago, “They stuck a pacemaker and clot filter in my chest.

cally, “if you love to fly hang gliders,

John, making the trip to San Diego

I was told to quit hang gliding. Did for

age and the rest do not apply.” He’s

every weekend for two months. Otto

a year and took it up again. Then got

referring to himself, of course, but

He immediately began lessons with

describes his training flights, on a

three cardio stents and was told to

also perhaps to Viveka and Alan who

Wills Wing SST and a Raven, as “safe

stop hang gliding. But instead stopped

are, according to AARP’s definition,

and fun,” but the long, inconvenient

listening to that kind of advice. Hang

just shy of being senior citizens. And

commute to southern California from

gliding is the spice of life.” Indeed!

with his family as role models, he sug-

the Midwest had him searching for an

Otto stresses that when developing

gests, “perhaps more people will get

instructor close to Detroit. He found

a new skill, “it is very important to be

interested in taking up this wonderful

Norman Lesnow, who helped him

lucky in finding a mentor.” Matt Taber

sport.”

hone his skills in this latest branch of

of Lookout Mountain Flight Park filled

aviation. Dolores also took some les-

the bill for him. “After one launch a

Since those birthday

sons, Otto says, but “it didn’t take—she

day for three days I got the sign-off

last October, Otto has logged over

liked making baskets better.”

His daughter Viveka, though, began

flights

for the LMFP ramp. Matt has been a

a dozen more on his Falcon 3, foot-

mentor to me ever since, as well as

launching from Glassy Mt. in South Carolina and Lookout Mt. Flight Park

lessons when she was 15, and father-

looking after my daughter’s entry

daughter flying trips were a big part

into the sport.” Viveka was one of the

in Tennessee, towing with LMFP and

of her young adulthood. She became

LMFP instructors for several years, but

with Quest Air in Florida, bringing his

an instructor in 1988—the year Otto

dropped out of hang gliding when life

logged airtime up to almost 650 hours.

retired—and she continued to teach

got busy. But, Otto reports with obvi-

Equally happy with sledders or soar-

during summers for about six years.

ous delight, she is now getting active

ing flights, as long as he can get his

again with her significant other, Alan.

feet off the ground and the wind in his

“When Viv got her instructor rating, life got even better,” Otto recalls.

“My point is,” Otto states, emphati-

face, Otto declares, “Life is good!”

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