USHPA Pilot Vol53-Iss4 Fall/Oct-Dec 2023

Book Review 12

UNDERstanding the sky: 21st century redux

Paragliding to Speedflying 16

my experience transitioning between disciplines

by Calvin Freeman

2023 Tater Hill Open 22

by Dennis Pagen

Flying in Cuba 28 no es fácil

by Chris Garcia

Golden Cruise 34

AT strawberry reservoir

by Josh Holmstead

38

by Lisa Verzella

Plunge

in the Park

Brush with an incident

by Bill Buckwalter

40 Paragliding Worlds 2023

by Pam Kinnaird

48 Weather

Rotor: understanding an invisible threat

by Honza Rejmanek

52 Then and Now

A hang gliding hotspot at dog mountain

by Paul Dees

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 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.

POSTMASTER USHPA Pilot ISSN 2689-6052 (USPS 17970) is published bimonthly by the United States Hang Gliding and Paragliding Association, Inc., 1685 W. Uintah St., Colorado Springs, CO, 80904 Phone: (719) 632-8300 Fax: (719) 632-6417

Periodicals Postage Paid in Colorado Springs and additional mailing offices. Send change of address to: USHPA, PO Box 1330, Colorado Springs, CO, 80901-1330. Canadian Return Address: DP Global Mail, 4960-2 Walker Road, Windsor, ON N9A 6J3.

SUBMISSIONS from our members and readers are welcome. All articles, artwork, photographs as well as ideas for articles, artwork and photographs are submitted 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.org or online at www.ushpa.org. We are always looking for great articles, photography and news. Your contributions are appreciated.

ADVERTISING is subject to the USHPA Advertising Policy. Obtain a copy by emailing advertising@ushpa.org.

©2023 US HANG GLIDING & PARAGLIDING ASSOC., 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 USHPA.

632-8300

Photo: Adi Geisegger

EDITOR > Liz Dengler

: Early this spring, I tore my ACL in the most pathetic and slow-motion “fall” you can imagine. My post-surgery recovery process has been slow and emotionally grating. As early summer came, I began my slow reentry into the world of “allowed” movements—and it became abundantly clear how irritating recovery was going to be. When I was physically limited by pain and range of motion, it made sense that I couldn’t do the activities I love, but as I began to feel better, these restrictions became more frustrating.

Rationally, I could understand why the doctor didn't want me to risk an impact or twist to my knee (an ACL takes at least six months to fully heal and strengthen), but emotionally, I struggled. Early on, I read my local flying Teelegrams chats constantly, checking the winds and watching all the videos people posted. However, I soon became envious as I watched my friends taking the flying trips I had planned to go on and making plans for trips later in the year without me. It was disheartening watching those opportunities slip away.

Now, I’m well aware that reading free flight stories is literally my job. Luckily for me, my short spell of emotional pain from not being able to join you in the skies overlapped with a lull in submissions. During this time, I, to an extent, removed myself from the free flight world and actively focused on other things. I dug into other work and went full steam on my physical therapy exercises. I bought a stand-up paddleboard with a kayak seat so I could still get outside and enjoy nature, and when I was allowed to start biking (on the road), I took full advantage. On top of that, my partner has been toying with motorsports, and we started taking adventure motorcycle rides and doing a bit of moto-tent camping.

With a bit of disconnect, I was able to find enjoyment in other areas of my life. And, unexpectedly, what started as an avoidance tactic actually helped me to reconnect with the joy of free flight, despite still not flying. I continue to find satisfaction in my free flight work and see it as a link to this sport and community that I haven’t been physically connected with due to my injury. In a way, the magazine (and working with all of you on it) has done for me what I have always wanted it to do for the community—connect, inspire, teach, and entertain.

During my ongoing recovery, your stories have offered me a connection to the skies and inspired many wild ideas and dreams of new adventures. Perhaps by the time you read this, I’ll be back flying with my own tales to tell. Until then, enjoy the flights and I'll enjoy your stories which keep me motivated.

Martin Palmaz > Publisher executivedirector@ushpa.org

Liz

Dengler > Managing Editor editor@ushpa.org

Kristen Arendt > Copy Editor

Greg Gillam > Art Director WRITERS

Dennis Pagen

Lisa Verzella

Carl Weiseth PHOTOGRAPHERS

Ben White

Audray Luck

cover photo by Paul Dees

A bird's eye view of Riffe Lake while flying Dog Mountain near Morton, Washington.

BGD ADAM 2

ADVANCE BOUNDLESS HARNESS

The BOUNDLESS is a reversible harness at 3.8kg. in the size small. Unlike most, this reversible harness doesn’t have to be turned inside out, which would compromise the “flying” shape of the harness and often the protection that it provides. It also has a three part back protector with foam, air/foam, and a backpack as a back protector element. All three work together to provide ideal protection. The backpack part of the harness is connected to the harness but can be easily changed to a different size. The small size comes with a 78L backpack, medium an 83L and the large a 90L. It comes with a speed bar and Edelrid Foras carabiners. There are three sizes for pilots from 5’ to 6’6” and two colors: Azur Blue and Canary Yellow. It’s available through Super Fly, Inc., www. superflyinc.com, +1 801-255-9595, or your local dealer.

The new school wing is out! The ADAM

2 is certified EN/LTF-A in five sizes, including a new XS (for weights from 50kg all up). It's a safe wing for fledgling pilots to take their first steps into the air, and develop their soaring and thermalling skills without stress. Durable and hard-wearing, ADAM 2 is designed to withstand hours of ground-handling practice and heavy use in schools. For more info or demos, contact BGD-U.S.A. at bgd-usa.com or +1 801-699-1462

INSURANCE FOR H3/P3 PILOTS

USHPA members rated H3/P3 and higher are eligible to increase their liability insurance limits to $1 million/$1 million. This increased coverage also includes extraterritorial coverage for international trips of up to 21 continuous days (for pilots rated 4/5 when increased limits are purchased).

Learn more at www.ushpa.org/member/insurance-members

FALL BOARD MEETING

Sept 24 | Richfield, UT

USHPA is excited to host the annual Board of Directors meeting in Richfield, UT before the Red Rocks Fly-In. Please visit the website for updates. ushpa.org/boardmeeting

ASSOCIATION > Martin Palmaz, Executive Director

USHPA's Vital Partner, the FFF

: In the last issue, I shared some thoughts on possible techniques to acquire new sites and maintain existing ones. While there are various USHPA resources and tools available to protect sites, the Foundation for Free Flight (FFF) has been an irreplaceable partner in site preservation.

Do you have questions about USHPA policies, programs, or other areas?

EMAIL US AT: info@ushpa.org Let us know what questions or topics you’d like to hear about!

The Foundation was established in 1987 to support competition, education, and site preservation efforts throughout the U.S. After a period of dormancy, the Foundation was resurrected in 2000 and has grown into one of the most valuable organizations collaborating and supporting the future of our sports and community.

reach than most are probably aware. In addition to their support of competition teams, education, safety, and sites, the organization played a crucial part in reaching our fundraising goal to form Recreation RRG. Without that, many of the most famous sites around the country would have closed. In addition to financial resources, the Foundation has also accumulated expertise on preserving sites with easements and other tools to help protect our gateway to the skies.

Interested in a more active role supporting our national organization? USHPA needs you! Have a skill or interest and some time available?

VOLUNTEER!

ushpa.org/volunteer

As we all know, landowners providing access to flying sites is required for us to enjoy our sports. Without question, much of what has been accomplished over the years related to gaining and preserving site access would not have been possible without the Foundation. Although many of you are familiar with this organization, their support has a broader

The Foundation’s list of accomplishments is long, and the organization has probably made a difference at a site near you. Check out their website (www.foundationforfreeflight.org/) for a list of resources and achievements. Thanks to all the past, present and future trustees of the Foundation. USHPA could not have reached our 50th anniversary without you!

Please reach out to USHPA and the Foundation with your questions on sites and landowners. We are happy to assist in any way we can.

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.

In honor of USHPA's 50th Anniversary, we are hosting a sweepstakes with some amazing prizes! The sweepstakes will end on December 18, 2023 and winners will be announced by December 22.

USHPA 50th ANNIVERSARY SWEEPSTAKES

WHAT CAN I WIN?

(1) Paragliding Harness from Super Fly (ARV $1000)

(1) Ozone Solos Lite Paragliding Harness (ARV $1230)

(1) Flytec Oudie N (ARV $1099)

(1) Flytec USA Softshell Jacket (ARV $99)

(1) Skylark Paragliding Gear Sack Set (ARV $110)

(1) Blue Sky Hang Gliding Flywheels Set (ARV $125)

(3) USHPA Kavu Split Shot Hooded Softshell Jacket (ARV $120)

(3) USHPA Pilot Magazine Cover Poster 27x34” (ARV $55)

(1) Classic Routes from Cross Country Magazine edited by Bob Drury (ARV $36)

(1) Best Flying Sites of the Alps by Oliver Guenay (ARV $38)

(1) Condor Trail: Paragliding the Central Andes by Dylan Neyme (ARV $25)

(1) Thermal Flying for Paraglider and Hang Glider Pilots by Burkhard Martens (ARV $53)

(1) SpeckedOut GoPro Follow Cam Mount (ARV $84)

HOW DO I ENTER?

USHPA members who join or renew their membership by December 18, 2023 will automatically receive an entry. Additional ways to enter can be found by scanning the QR Code. Must be 18 or older to enter.

Bill Hughes President president@ushpa.org

Charles Allen Vice President vicepresident@ushpa.org

Julia Knowles Secretary secretary@ushpa.org

Pam Kinnaird Treasurer treasurer@ushpa.org

Martin Palmaz Executive Director executivedirector@ushpa.org

Galen Anderson Operations Manager office@ushpa.org

Chris Webster Information Services Manager tech@ushpa.org

Anna Mack Program Manager programs@ushpa.org

BOARD MEMBERS (Terms End in 2023)

Bill Hughes (region 1)

Julia Knowles (region 1)

Jon Faiz Kayyem (region 3)

Nelissa Milfeld (region 3)

Pamela Kinnaird (region 2)

Steve Pearson (region 3)

BOARD MEMBERS

(Terms End in 2024)

Charles Allen (region 5)

Nick Greece (region 2)

Stephan Mentler (region 4)

What's your region? See page 63.

BOOK REVIEW > Lisa Verzella

Understanding the Sky: 21st Century Redux

: Dennis Pagen’s book, Understanding the Sky, was one of the first comprehensive books about the weather as it affects non-motorized pilots. Written in 1992, it quickly became a quintessential reference for soaring pilots around the globe. Addressing primarily hang glider and sailplane pilots, it ushered in a whole new era of safety and improved performance.

Thirty years later, this revised edition of Understanding the Sky incorporates new information for additional sky recreation artists, including paraglider and balloon pilots. The updated version, spearheaded by Cross Country Magazine, introduces hundreds of new illustrations by free-flight illustrator Steve Ham, based on Pagen’s original ones.

Author Dennis Pagen has been hang gliding since 1973 and was the U.S. Champion in 1978. He has also flown paragliders and ultralights, giving him extensive insight into how different crafts surf the sky. Pagen began writing about sport aviation in 1975 and has thus far written

14 books and more than 400 articles on recreational flying. He is also the OG of instruction, having written USHPA’s instruction manual and developed many hang gliding and paragliding training rating programs that are still in use today.

My first positive impression of this new edition comes from the excellent graphic on the front cover and the professional size and style, characteristic of Cross Country Magazine publications. The book’s exterior is thick and laminated, making it safe to read from a hot tub after a training day or a long cross-country flight.

The book’s twelve chapters are organized in a top-down manner, beginning with general weather properties and narrowing to microscale effects that impact the soaring arena. The flow of information, along with detailed diagrams and beautiful pictures, makes each chapter’s concepts even more accessible and understandable.

Pagen’s intriguing weather novella seems

designed to be read initially at a slow pace, with each chapter lending itself to an increased tempo. Re-reading important concepts for a complete understanding is encouraged before moving on, although some points may be too in-depth for newer pilots. Of course, each topic presented can also be researched online for additional explanation or brought to the attention of local sources of knowledge and expertise at the hill.

The first few chapters examine the big picture, studying the air around us and the properties of the atmosphere. Vivid photographs show a low-level inversion in Slovakia and cloud types from around the world. Diagrams readily explain solar heating and lapse rates. The many facts and tidbits may enlighten even seasoned pilots, such as the difference in cloud hue between an older cloud and a new one. Pagen also offers an excellent explanation of why virga falls in streaks and how “mare’s tail” clouds are formed. Did you know that 90% of the atmosphere’s water vapor is below 18,000 feet?!

Moving down the weather funnel, the book

next explores frontal action, pressure systems, and wind patterns. Though some diagrams in these sections become rather technical, the explanations and pictures drive home each concept. The author especially acknowledges

the subject of turbulence as, “perhaps the most critical facet to pilot safety.”

The realms of local winds and soaring conditions are presented next, with a fascinating discussion of sea breezes, including the smog front in the Los Angeles area. Confused about the difference between “wonder winds” and “magic winds?” Both are handily explained here. The tale continues with the topics of thermals and instability that range from a core of rising air to the torrent of a tornado. One learns how a cloud, an indicator of a thermal in itself, can act as its own thermal trigger, how there are two thermal pauses each day, and why entering (high) above a dust devil should be done in a clockwise turn.

The penultimate chapter on thunderstorms is not to be missed, with an opening shot of powerful lightning bolts assailing the landscape. Here we learn how a happy cloud can become a raging killer and the best way to avoid its grasp. Intriguingly, we also discover how mammatus clouds are formed and why they should be considered dangerous.

The book comes to a close with a discussion of weather forecasting. On a helpful note, Pagen explains soaring forecast products such as those produced by a handful of National Weather Service offices nationwide. However, most of Pagen’s suggestions are more “do-it-yourself” procedures such as discerning weather maps, checking barometric trends, or studying the sky. I was disappointed in the lack of reference to the numerous websites and Internet sources of weather observations and forecasting, such as Tropical Tidbits to note large-scale weather systems or XC Skies to investigate the local model solutions for winds, instability, and over-development potential. Fortunately, pilots and instructors can supplement these numerous online sources with those resources mentioned

Author Dennis Pagen.

in Pagen’s final chapter. The appendices offer useful concepts and explanations, such as density altitude and why this can make a hang glider’s final approach much faster as temperature increases. Find out here why high-pressure winds circulate clockwise and lows counter-clockwise, as well as why rising air can spin up like a figure skater raising her arms.

Overall, I found the new and improved ver sion of Dennis Pagen’s Understanding the Sky well worth the read and suitable for pilots and instructors of any level. It’s an excellent companion to British glider pilot Gerrard Dale’s multi-volume The Soaring Engine and paragliding phenom Bruce Goldsmith’s

books on umpteen Ways to Fly Better, among others. Though a few sections of Pagen’s book can feel slightly tedious, Pagen himself would likely suggest re-reading any seemingly dry sections a second or third time with a hearty glass of wine.

SPEEDFLYING ParaglidinG

My experience transitioning between disciplines

by CALVIN FREEMAN

: As humans, it seems only natural to dream of flying. Throughout my life, I’ve chased the sensation of flight in as many ways I could—yet I’d been left wanting. Wanting, that is, until a friend casually mentioned the seemingly mythic practice of paragliding.

Although I had long yearned for flight, at the time, I was a devout rock climber with plans to embark on a multi-month road trip. But after an unfortunate climbing injury, I deemed the expedition a bust and shifted my sights towards new endeavors closer to home.

After some thought and introspection, my climbing partner and I realized we had amassed enough money to pay for a P2 course

and buy a complete flight kit. We searched the internet for paragliding schools. After contacting a string of local schools with long wait lists, we found Horseshoe Bend Flight Park, a paragliding school outside Boise (now closed due to land restrictions), that had availability the following day!

The moment my feet left the ground and I sat back in my harness on my first flight, I had a profound realization. As many of us have experienced, I had no tangible idea of why I loved flying, but I was instantly hooked and suddenly felt compelled to fly as much as possible. After earning my P2, I returned to Salt Lake City, Utah, and its thriving community of pilots.

The author enjoying the beginnings of speedflying. Photo by Julie Freeman.

The author learning to fly full-size paragliders at Point of the Mountain, Utah. Photo by Byron Encarnacion.

Not long after my return, I noticed a small group of pilots who flew unfathomably small wings and seemed to possess an unending res ervoir of stoke. Their excitement was magnetic, and I couldn’t help but observe their flights with reverence and awe. I’d never seen such elegant expressions of free flight under a wing. Countless times I watched from afar as these pilots skillfully barrel-rolled down the face of the local flight park, ending in a long swoop. Over the next several months, I stuck to paragliding and capitalized on every opportu nity to fly my full-size wing. As my skills devel oped, I ventured into the mountains, sampling what makes the Wasatch Range special: the hike-and-fly scene! Unsurprisingly, as I spent more time in the mountains, I met an increas ing number of local speedwing pilots. Watch ing them dart past me on the uphill with their light, tiny backpacks piqued my curiosity and left me increasingly intrigued to learn more about the sport.

I began to query local speedflyers and spent countless hours on the internet, deep diving into YouTube and social media. Many nights after flying at Point of the Mountain, I would corner friendly speedflyers to ascertain how to enter this new discipline. After speaking with countless local pilots in Utah and others across the country, I determined that the instructors with the most advanced skill sets and training curriculum were Jeff Katz and Carl Weiseth with Speedfly.com. Not only did they come highly recommended by every pilot I spoke with, but they were also responsible for helping write the new speed rating system with USH-

Utah. Photo by Kimi Encarnacion.

The author's first official flight at (the now closed) Horseshoe Bend Flight Park. Photo by Byron Encarnacion.

pert tutelage, I swiftly gained the much-needed skills and confidence to operate a smaller wing safely and to understand the critical piloting and forecasting differences between the two sports. Each morning and evening, we had new site intros, practiced ground handling, and learned to speed soar at some of Utah’s best sites. After each mind-blowing flight, we would land, discuss the finer points of safe decision-making, and learn more about the fine art of micro-meteorology specific to flying smaller gliders near terrain. Throughout the course, we met prominent figures in the community and

both disciplines and explore deeper into their intricacies, I have come to think of speedflying as cross-training for paragliding and vice versa. As my piloting abilities grow in one discipline, they remain inextricably linked to the other. I still love both forms of free flight but in different ways. Being able to fly both paragliders and speedwings expands my capacity to fly safely in both disciplines. Most importantly, it enables me to fly from sunrise to sunset in various conditions, under a swath of different gliders, with an inevitable ear-to-ear grin plastered on my face the entire time.

The author landing on the beach along the Lower Salmon River. Photo by Byron Encarnacion.

Landing along the Lower Salmon River on a float-and-fly trip. Photo by Byron Encarnacion.

If you’ve been curious about learning to speedfly or speedride, there are great opportunities to learn with instructors nationwide.

To start, head to the USHPA “Find an Instructor” website at www.ushpa.org/page/ find-a-school-or-instructor. Click on your state and expand the “Basic & Advanced Instructors for Solo Flight Instruction” section. Click the “Sport” tab twice to reorder speedflying (SF) instructors to the top.

Here are a few tips for picking an instructor:

• There aren’t speedflying instructors in every state, so you may have to travel.

• Consider the cost of travel and expenses while traveling over the length of the course.

• Just because an instructor is USHPA-certified

doesn’t mean they are the right instructor FOR YOU.

• The instructor nearest to you may not be the best fit. Once you find a few instructors, reach out to each school and try to get a feel for their teaching style. Consider requesting video content of the instructor actively speedflying.

• Talk to trusted friends and local pilots to get recommendations and reviews!

• Take a good look at their course syllabus before signing up. Ask friends or local pilots for help interpreting the content, if needed.

• Don’t learn on your own! Find an instructor and/or mentor to help guide you through the process.

Freeman and Encarnacion kiting new wings at Point of the Mountain, Utah. Photo by Julie Freeman.

2023 Tater Hill Open by

: In the third week of 2023’s strawberry June, I journeyed from the country’s four corners to North Carolina to compete in the annual Tater Open. Traditionally, this meet is held later in the year, but the previous year’s 17th edition brought biblical cloudbursts that threatened to swallow pilots. So the meet organizer/manager, Bubba Goodman, decided to move the 2023 event to the gentle month of June. All the traditional weddings, strawberry festivals, and company picnics can’t possibly be wrong, can they? Well, an interfering omega jet stream, a vengeful El Niño, and a visit by Noah, the boat builder, brought a week of torrential rain. But all was not lost.

SWEET POTATO

You northerners or westerners could be forgiven for not knowing what a ‘tater is, but down south, they talk so slowly that saying “potato” takes too long, and your supper gets cold. So the original name of Potato Mountain has since been shortened to Tater. Indeed, the mountain resembles a huge Idaho baker lying on its side. The takeoff

Dennis Pagen

altitude is a bit over 5,000 feet, and the vertical drop is close to 1,800 feet (no metric spoken in this neck of the woods).

Tater sits about 11 miles from Boone, North Carolina, and because of Appalachian State University in town, Boone (like Asheville, North Carolina, Austin, Texas, Boulder, Colorado, and other little college town enclaves of relaxed attitudes) is a gem amidst the dour and dire politics that abound in the surrounding areas. Here, at least, they make good moonshine, so there is much to entertain wayward grounded pilots on the off days. You’ll see why this is important.

THE COMPETITION TRADITION

We used to say, in jest, “If you need rain, schedule a fly-in or meet.” That wry quip was sometimes accurate, but usually, even in the East where rain reigns, we could pull off a meet in a pinch. But now, climate disruption (which, of course, is only an imaginative figment of tens of thousands of weather researchers around the world) has changed the rules.

The normally docile summer jet stream is wonky and whipping out of control. It headed north in the plains (drying out Canada) and came down with a vengeance over the hapless Appalachian East. Fronts accompanied the jet stream, and rain consorts with fronts. So, we had nearly six days in a row of rain showers and thunderstorms.

We did get quite a few flights off on Saturday, June 17, the first competition day. Then Sunday, Father’s Day, brought a cloudbase below launch and strong tailwinds. We huddled on the mountain until nearly two o’clock and decided to wait one-half hour more. Miraculously, the valley heat sent up some westerly wafts that dried out the clouds and made for nice launchable conditions. The launch window was opened, and the first pilots off proved it was also soarable conditions. We proceeded to accomplish a round. The retrieve trucks were busy, and some pilots took multiple flights till dusk.

Then the rains set in. But all was not lost—while some

pilots dove and delved into the Boone entertainment, cultural, and culinary scene, others attended the daily discussions and presentations on weather, equipment, and technique. We had slideshows and show-and-tells. One show presented many unique cloud photos and discussed what can be learned from them to enhance our understanding and flying results. Another talk covered thermals, and a third provided insights into inversion layers (a common phenom in our skies). A timely presentation investigated cloud suck lore and thunderstorm avoidance. Finally, we talked about line care, measurement, and parachute matters. Judging from the comments, much of the material was edifying to pilots of all levels. When you’re given melons, make lemonade.

FLYING IN THE OINTMENT

We slogged along until the following Saturday, June 24. By then, the entire sport class had trickled away, one by one, so they were only scored on one flight. But on Saturday, the clouds lidding

Bryan Upchurch goes cloud dodging. Photo by Dennis Pagen.

Here, at least, they make good moonshine, so there is much to entertain wayward grounded pilots on the off days.

our sky gradually showed blue, then parted from the valley in front of launch, and again we could fly. The vast panorama percolated with bubbles of lift, streams of wisps, tendrils, and tenuous tumbled cumis. It looked like a witches’ brew—a potion of poison or ambrosia. The remaining pilots

popped into the sky and found wonder-windy lift extending far out into the valley. As they got higher, they encountered light cloud suck but knew how to handle it, and finished the day with points, pleasure, and pride.

The Tater format has traditionally been a race-

Chris Grantham performs his patented backward launch. Photo by Dennis Pagen.

to-goal tagging turnpoints up, down, and around the valleys. That format served for the sport class, but this year the open class used what is called “cat’s cradle.” In such a task, a large number of turnpoints are delineated on the map, and pilots fly to as many as they can in any order, with each turnpoint counting only once. The pilot who achieves the most turnpoints in a given time wins the round. This format takes more than the usual judgment, as pilots have to figure out what turnpoints and routes are most likely to incorporate the most lift as well as determine the most efficient path to tag as many turnpoints as possible in the given time allotment. Some pilots couldn’t set a route on their instruments, but all that is required is to set a “go to” to each selected turnpoint. Again, the pilot has to make decisions “on the wing” as the day progresses and the nature of the lift reveals itself.

To add an equalizer, the age and aspect ratio of each pilot’s glider was given a value and a bonus rating leading to a percentage multiplier of a pilot’s score. Such an approach helps attract pilots of varying experience and skill levels

because, for example, a pilot flying an EN-B glider can have a chance against a comp wing. There were three designated landing fields spread around the valley in front of Tater, and if pilots managed to land in one, they were quickly retrieved and hauled up to the top to relaunch and continue the task. Pilots could also land on top to refurbish, then take off again to continue the task. In my view, such a format is an excellent feature because it induces a pilot to go for it in a safe manner, which in turn helps hone judgment and train a pilot on how to strike out on their own. The Tater dictator, Bubba, has always meant for this gathering to be friendly, fair, fun, and a great learning experience for the greatest number of pilots.

RESULTS

In the Sport Class, Aaron Stanford won, and Brian Vogel and Will Byrum were second and third, respectively. In the Open Class, it was champion Ted Grove securing the win with 2,873.6 total points for three tasks. Second place went to Chris Grantham with 2,829.7 points, and Bryan

Upchurch took third with 2,211.9 points. They all received crafty trophies etched into exotic woods by Wayne Sayer, an Owens Valley denizen.

We wish to thank all the drivers, helpers, and food suppliers. We couldn’t do it without them. Also, thanks go to the landing field landowner, Rick Williams, who lets us land freely plus loans out his house for our headquarters. It was there

that we held our talks. Also, rooms in the house were available for rent for the duration. Very convenient. Another major thanks goes to Chris Lee, who did all our scoring expertly and efficiently. Next year Tater will take place in hopefully more gracious weather. The law of averages and all that guarantees that we’ll have sunshine, high cloudbases, and plenty of airtime. Surely, we all

Bryan Upchurch hucks and hauls into the mist. Photo by Dennis Pagen.

little time

deserve some respite from the summer heat and rain anomalies that have plagued this country everywhere. The dates may be moved again after we see what the season brings, but we roll the dice every time we schedule a flying get-together, and you can’t have a better fun and friendly format than the Tater Hill

We’ll see you there.

SPORT CLASS

Open.

The winners: Chris Grantham (2nd), Ted Grove (1st), Bryan Upchurch (3rd) display the wonderful etched wood trophies. Photo by Dennis Pagen.

[ 1 ] Aaron Stanford

[ 2 ] Brian Vogel

[ 3 ] Will Byrum

OPEN CLASS

[ 1 ] Ted Grove

[ 2 ] Chris Grantham

[ 3 ] Bryan Upchurch

A

for tandems. Photo by Dennis Pagen.

FLYING in CUBA

No es fácil (It's not easy)

by Chris Garcia

: No es fácil. That’s a phrase you hear on a daily basis when traveling in Cuba. Like a newly renovated facade in Havana, what you see at first glance isn’t always what you get. Knowing this, I didn’t know what to expect when it came to paragliding in Cuba. But I did some research, contacted some locals, and booked my ticket.

In 1972, my family made their way from Cuba to Spain. My grandfather had to work in the sugarcane fields for two years with no pay so the family could leave the island without hassle. My dad, an asthmatic, had a difficult time growing up in the humid Cuban climate, which was the main reason they left. As a kid growing up in Chicago, I was never allowed to travel to Cuba, even though my grandparents and cousins would go regularly. My first visit to Cuba wasn’t until 2015, when I traveled there to start the first sea kayaking tours for a U.S.-based travel company.

Fast forward to 2023. Since 2015, I have spent

some 500 days on the island, and I had just started my paragliding guide service (based out of California)—it only made sense that I would travel back to Cuba and set up the first paragliding tour for U.S. citizens.

For most of the world, travel to Cuba is as simple as buying a plane ticket. However, for visitors from the U.S., our travel needs to fall into one of 12 categories. I used to always travel under a family visit, but now the majority of tourism-based travel go under “support for the Cuban people” (formerly known as “people to people” under the Clinton and Obama administrations).

I arrived at midday in Santiago de Cuba, and in typical fashion, I was questioned heavily before leaving the airport. I worried my bag had been flagged for the disassembled radio I brought. Radios and GPS devices are illegal to bring into the country, and though this has been the case for decades, I have never had an issue getting a Garmin

After the Revolution in 1959, all cars coming to the island were state owned, and were to be bought and sold through the government. Castro allowed cars made prior to 1959 to be sold and kept privately. This is the primary reason you see so many classic cars on the island.

or radio in. I recommend carrying the battery and antenna in your carry-on and the radio body in your checked luggage.

Sandy Salazar, a multi-time paragliding national champion of Cuba (and an incredible human), was waiting for me at the airport. He would help me get situated and join in on my week-long flying trip. Typical of most Cubans, he is friendly, warm, and always willing to lend a helping hand. After lunch at his place, we decided to head to Puerto Boniato for an evening session. Rising 1,275 feet above the city below, this south-facing ridgeline is the perfect spot for a midday or evening flying adventure. That evening we flew a pleasant 30 km out-and-back to El Cobre, home to the Virgen de Caridad, the patron saint of Cuba.

As our evening was winding down, Sandy and I made plans for the rest of the week. We took a look at Windy and came up with a plan. Even though it had been five years since I had been to Cuba, things had changed so much. Data was now widely available to anyone with a cellphone. Everyday people (that is to say, those not affiliated with the government) had WiFi in their houses. I remember when it was outrageously expensive to get on the internet in Cuba, and you would have to be in a public park or at a government-run hotel to use it.

The main flying sites I wanted to visit on this trip were anything within striking distance of Santiago. I’d had my eyes on Guisa, where the national record has been set multiple times. Jose Alberto Miniet set the open distance record at 161.76 km in March of 2023; he had a 40 km return leg to make his XContest score 201.06. Sandy holds the next top spot, with a flat triangle of 113.92 km which he closed and scored 159.49. on his Enzo 3 from 2017. He flew that on March 7, 2023 as I was planning my trip to Cuba, and ultimately was why I reached out to him for help

Based on what we saw in the weather, we

decided to spend a few days in San Antonio del Sur before heading to Guisa. San Antonio del Sur is located 100 km east of Santiago, in the state of Guantanamo (where Sandy had learned to fly over 20 years ago). A south-facing launch, this spot provided a lot of opportunities to fly the mountains to the easterly tip of Cuba or to gain altitude at launch and dive over the back into the flat lands. Spending two days there, we were able to try our hands at both routes. Heading east along the mountains reminded me of flying at home in California. When we dove over the back on day two, I tried my hardest to connect with the infamous Cuba convergence, but by the time I was near it, the sea breeze had come in, making it difficult to find a thermal to bring me up to a fantastic cloud street that ran in the mountains just

A local farmer watches in the distance as Sandy Salazar comes into land outside of San Luis.

to the north of the U.S.-occupied Guantanamo Bay.

The flying was better than expected, but what took me by surprise was the size of the Cuban paragliding community. Paragliding is recognized by the government, and each zone has its own club with a president. Most pilots dedicated to flying cross-country on the island are part of the Granma, Guantanamo, and Santiago clubs. However, the other clubs, Villa Clara, Holguin, and even Havana, also have pilots vying for cross-country flights. Amazingly, even though the government only gives them a small area to fly in, Cuban pilots have found a way. Following the clouds, chasing distance as they please, being careful not to fly directly over large cities or in the known approach path of international flights, the Cuban pilots have it dialed. You would think, on a communist-run island, everything would be tightly controlled. And while that’s true with almost all aspects of life—the food rations, sports, internet, and TV—free flight is still free.

Most of the pilots I met were flying equipment that was 10 to 20 years old, but in typical Cuban fashion, they were getting every minute of airtime they could out of their wings. I met Reynesi, the

local paragliding club president, in San Antonio del Sur. He was lucky enough to have a Flow Fusion donated to him, the most modern glider I saw during my entire trip. Cubans are notorious for making do with what they have. For six decades, the government has imposed restrictions on everything you can imagine. For example, there are so many classic American cars in Cuba because in 1960, one year after the revolution, the Cuban government decided that any new vehicles needed to be bought and sold through the government, but that anything before 1960 could be exchanged privately. This incentivized the people to keep those ‘57 Chevys running for as long as they could, even if it meant dropping a Russian-built diesel from 1986 under the hood.

We spent another night in Santiago, though I was itching to visit more of the island. We decided that the best flight would be right out of Puerto Boniato the next day, but we would try for a 10 a.m. launch instead of waiting until the evening. That morning was very hectic—we were running low on gas for the rental car, and the government has certain restrictions on the quality of gas we could put in it and how much at any given time. Driving all over

Sandy Salazar flying his Poison 3 during an evening soaring session, on our way to El Cobre.

town, we quickly realized that every station was out. But we still had enough to get to launch. On top of that, our key fob battery was starting to die, so our modern “push-to-start’’ rental car was quickly becoming obsolete.

We arrived to launch at 10:30, and I was anxious to get off the hill. A beautiful cloud street had formed on the ridge just above us, and it seemed like we would have been in the air easily by 10. I noticed that Cuban pilots tend to wait until they know 100% without a doubt that it is soarable, likely because transportation to launch can be tricky and fickle. Getting a re-launch might be next to impossible. I don’t blame them for wanting to wait, but I think some kilometers might be left on the table.

Once we finally took off, I could feel the marine influence shaping the thermals. They were fairly sharp and well-defined—a classic characteristic of my home flying site in California. Once the marine air came in, it gave things a big punch. It made it hard to connect to the cloudbase, which would have been much easier before the 25 km/ hr of wind came in off the coast. Finally, after an hour of battling our way to base at 1,000 m, we were able to dive over the back and into the flats. As long as you stay somewhat close to a main road, getting a hitch back to the city is not a problem. Most Cubans get around by hitching on

the side of the national highway. It’s fairly common, and though most transportation is often full and you might be waiting awhile, you’ll get there eventually. Your ride might be a bus, an empty dump truck, a ‘53 BelAir, or the back of a horsedrawn wagon.

Before heading to our next destination, we swung by Sandy’s apartment and picked up his wife, Elisa, and his four-year-old daughter, Emily. Elisa had family in the town of Guisa, and the ladies would join us for two nights away from the city. Guisa is 85 km west of Santiago, situated on the north side of the Sierra Maestra. Standing at 1,974 m tall, it keeps any coastal influence out until later in the day.

The forecast was calling for more east wind than was predicted when we left, so instead of flying Guisa, which takes a NNE wind, we would fly a new site being developed in Jiguani. A small hill with maybe 70 m relief and facing directly east, it made sense why they thought this would work. I wasn’t too keen on trying to think of how I would manage a group of pilots at this site, but I went in with an open mind. The day wasn’t what we had hoped for. We all landed earlier than expected,

Sandy Salazar flying his Poison 3 near San Antonio del Sur.

Hiking out through private farmland, you really get a sense for the lack of infrastructure, even though a certain percentage of private crops go directly to the government.

and I only managed to hang on after dumping 6 liters of ballast. It’s a technical site, but there is potential for flights of 200 km or more as well as FAI triangles.

We headed back to Guisa that evening, and I found myself drinking a Cristal, a classic Cuban beer, and reviewing my week’s notes. The cold, crisp beer was the only relief I had from the humidity as I sat in the park and wrote. The electricity had just gone out, a regular occurrence on the

island, and most people from town had gathered outside to get what relief they could. Here and there, some houses were fortunate enough to have a generator, likely an import from a family member from outside the country, and they were the ones selling beer and snacks. In a socialist society with the power out, capitalism had the lights on.

The next day I finally got to fly the site I had heard so much about, Guisa Coralillo. With only 80 m from top to bottom, it was hard to believe that the national record was set from this site, but I could see the potential. The day was looking pretty light; rain had soaked the ground the night before, and most local pilots were not too thrilled about the day. But it was a short enough hike to risk trying to get up and out, allow for a bomb out, and walk back up within 15-20 minutes. I tried it

Looking NE, trying to tie into the convergence that is set up behind Guantanamo City.

Sandy and his daughter Emily standing outside the Castillo del Morro.

Sandy and I take a selfie after our first flight together in Cuba. A local pilot launches from the small hill at Corralillo.

a few times, and finally, on the third flight, I was able to connect. The locals who had come from Byanmo and Guisa all flew back to town. They were a nice group of pilots who offered up tons of beta on what cycles to take, what to skip, and how to get out of the valley once up. They were also a very proud group, stating, “Welcome to the best flying site in Cuba!” upon my arrival and gawking at my XR-7 and Meru. Had my Meru not gone to 130 kg, I would have likely left the glider for a pilot there. Most Cuban pilots are searching for gliders that top around 95 kg or less. That flight marked the end of my time in Cuba. Sandy drove his family and me back to Santiago that afternoon, and we arrived right as the sun was setting. We all went down to the Malecon together, enjoyed the evening light and discussing future plans—me, wanting to bring pilots to experience Cuba and them, hoping to be able to leave one day.

It was Saturday night, and the town was alive! After showering and getting dinner, I strolled through Plaza Marte, where local bands took turns playing on the stage. Vendors surrounded the plaza, selling food, soft drinks, rum, and beer. With music, dancing, and laughter, folks were enjoying a typical Saturday night in Santiago. That is one of the amazing

things about the Cuban people. Though they have to go through so much daily and have been doing so for decades, all the music, dancing, and laughter help them get through the day and are uniquely Cuban. After all, Cubans are the master of “La Gozadera,” —the good time.

Every time I have planned a tour in Cuba, whether it be sea kayaking, cycling, and now paragliding, I have found the key ingredient to be the Cuban people, more so than any other place I have visited and worked. Traveling to Cuba, no es fácil, but if you go with an open mind, a lot of patience, and bring your paraglider, you’ll be guaranteed to have a good time.

GOLDEN CRUISE

At Strawberry Reservoir

By Josh Holmstead

: Strawberry Reservoir is Utah’s most popular fishery and also home to some of the most scenic autumn flying in the state. If you time the colors right, you’ll be delighted with peaceful high mountain soaring and spectacular vistas

of rolling hills shaded in golden aspens contrasted by the deep blue lake and sagebrush valleys.

Flying this site in these conditions is an annual objective for a group of tight-knit friends.

Every year we anxiously observe conditions and monitor the fall colors with the prospect of flying amongst this resplendent backdrop. On this particular day in October of 2022, the conditions aligned and provided the perfect opportunity to make the 90 minute drive from Salt Lake City, Utah.

Conditions on launch were ideal, and after the quick mile walk to reach the site, we launched into the cool autumn breeze straight

into light, sustainable lift. This time of year, the booming thermals of summer had long since moved to warmer climates, but smooth wide thermals took us over 10,000 feet. With every turn, more of the mountain landscape unfolded, showing off the magic of this site.

We soared for hours until the sun slowly dipped behind the mountains leaving us with a longing to return. Until next year when the golden leaves glow.

Plunge at the Park

Brush with an incident

by Bill Buckwalter

: As an H2 pilot with a few dozen aero-towed sled rides, I chose to mountain launch for the first time at Lookout Mountain Flight Park. My friend Rex Zink provided the necessary incentive. He reminded me I was signed off and as ready as I would ever be, adding he would be going too. So, there we were, at the top of the park, hooked into our Falcon 4Cs. An available flight instructor, Tim Glenshaw, pre-flighted both gliders and reviewed some key elements of our enterprise before releasing us to fly. Being in front, I launched first. The wind was calm, and although Glenshaw had reminded us to advance launch with the “walk, jog, run” approach, I failed to follow these steps. Accomplishing only two of three requirements, I left the ramp at a jog.

Rex, who was waiting his turn, hooked into his Falcon, could not move forward to observe my progress. However, he did get to watch as everyone else on launch rushed forward to witness an uncommon spectacle.

I recall stepping off the ramp but then remember nothing until I slammed at speed through the tree canopy 75 feet below. The segment of episodic memory between my last step and the treetops vanished. I have no idea how my hands transitioned from the downtubes to a militant grasp of my basebar, where I was looking, or what transpired in my mind as my ride headed for the treetops directly below. However, I can testify that all my sphincters held their place throughout the flight.

Once I became aware that I was flying at speed and slapping through the treetops, the experience seemed to unfold slowly. Time dilated. The sound of wind and the acuity of my vision were more pronounced. Cerebral processes evolved with casual

tranquility. I felt calm. Something caused me to look to my left, where a sizable clump of tree parts had hitchhiked on my port flying wire. The brush in my wire provoked a leisurely contemplation of how it got there, how long it would stay there, and what asymmetric drag it might contribute to my flight plan.

Turning to look forward, I was rewarded with a pleasing view of the canopy dropping away and the landing zone appearing ahead. Now clear of the treetops, my grip and bar pressure relaxed to a more efficient glideslope. A moment later, I was thankful to see the LZ within reach, and the remainder of the flight unfolded without drama or spectacle.

Through the retroscope:

Those seconds among the treetops stretched like none before or since. Cognitive enterprise unfolded with a calm, analytical, and unhurried pace. Things had stark clarity. The hitchhiker leaves buzzing in the relative wind was beautiful, so I watched it for a while. Observing the nearby canopy slide beneath me as I looked forward contributed effort to slowing down to enjoy the view. Thoughts regarding my failure and the potential inimical consequences did not occur until later at the LZ when a fellow pilot told me I was lucky. This psychophysiological experience

provoked further consideration.

In 1892, Albert Helm published “Remarks On Fatal Falls,” describing a similar mind/body experience (he fell 70 feet off a cliff). His recount was more dramatic, including conjecture on past and future events, a “divine calm,” and a “splendid blue heaven.” Though my thoughts were confined to current events and my uncertain proximity to the planet, we shared the distortion of time and a calm, analytical pondering with no thought given to impending disastrous consequences.

Russell Noyes, one of the translators of Heim’s original paper, collected and described additional crisis experiences in the 1960s, also highlighting neardeath time dilation and enhanced sensory acuity. From there, his study turned to the mystic, describing what folks who died and came back to life (mainly on the surgeon’s table) relate. Moreover, Ambrose Bierce’s fictional short story, “An Occurrence at Owl Creek Bridge,” also articulates time expansion of the

extreme in the face of demise.

Despite reading the study, I remain mystified as to why I cannot recall the descent from the ramp to the treetops and fascinated that my brain kicked into overdrive as I skimmed the canopy.

The Takeaway:

As I stepped off the ramp, my glider responded to the situation and did what had to be done. It dropped its nose and then, as airspeed accumulated, curled out to a horizontal trajectory while transporting this needy geezer. All by itself. What a marvelous aircraft! The experience and subsequent reflection have deepened my appreciation for all the people and flights since the origins of hang gliding that have contributed to such a cleverly designed aircraft. That said, even though the glider can handle itself (and take me along for the ride), I made sure to do the final stage on my next flight and RAN off that ramp.

JOCKEY’S

MAY

Paragliding Worlds 2023

by Pam Kinnaird

: Every two years, the FAI World Championships of Paragliding (aka the Worlds) gives nations a chance to compete in racing paragliders—one of the coolest games on earth! From May 20 to June 3, 2023, the 18th Worlds, an FAI Cat 1 event, was held in one of the classic racing arenas in paragliding—the Coeur de Savoie, French Alps, headquartered in Chamoux-sur-Gelon.

What is a Cat 1 event?

Before we get into the details of this particular

event, I asked Bill Hughes, current president of both USHPA and CIVL, to describe the main differences between Cat 1 and Cat 2 paragliding competitions.

Hughes says the differences come down to selection method, competition focus, and oversight.

Cat 1 competitions are continental and world championships. Countries are allocated a fixed number of slots to fill with their best pilots. There are also qualifications related to a pilot’s ranking in WPRS (World Pilot Ranking System)

Clowning around after parading through the streets of Chamoux-sur-Gelon during the Opening Ceremony.

Photo by Emily Mistick.

to get the best pilots from each country; for 2023, pilots had to rank in the top 700. Cat 2 competitions, directors have more flexibility in who is selected to attend. You can think of Cat 2 competitions as qualifiers for Cat 1 competitions.

Pilots receive WPRS points from Cat 2 competitions based on their results, which can eventually qualify them to represent their country in a Cat 1 comp.

The focus in Cat 1 competitions is on the national teams as well as the individual pilots. There are individual rankings, but the team podium is another objective that many national teams are shooting for. Particularly in cross-country, this results in interesting team tactics that you don’t typically see in competitions focused solely on individual results.

Finally, Cat 1 competitions are overseen directly by CIVL officials. CIVL sends a steward and jury, or judges in the case of Accuracy, to ensure that the high standards for Continental and World Championships are met, and that the competition is conducted according to the FAI Section 7 rulebook governing competitions. For Cat 2 competitions, organizers are encouraged to follow the Section 7 rulebook as closely as possible, but it isn’t mandatory, and there are no CIVL officials present to intervene in the competition if necessary.

Team members

This year, the U.S. sent a strong team comprised of experienced veterans and two pilots making their debut on the U.S. National team. Veterans Josh Cohn and Andy Macrae have been competing nationally and internationally for over 40 years combined. Evan Bouchier, who is currently ranked in the top 100 in the world, made his debut at the Worlds this year. And we’re excited to announce that this was the first year any

nation has included more than one female on the scoring team! Violeta Jimenez (debut) and Galen Kirkpatrick (veteran) have been racing hard at almost every high-level competition for the past couple of years, including the PWC Superfinal, earning their spots on the U.S. National team. I served as team leader. Ahead of the event, I drove many of the fundraising efforts and helped organize weekly Zoom meetings to discuss logistics and team strategy. During the competition, I was responsible for the team van, communications with FAI and CIVL officials, ground support, team meetings/debriefs, and delicious croissant breakfasts.

U.S. team training with Maxime Bellemin

Ahead of the event, Jimenez organized for the team to work with Maxime Bellemin. In addition to being the author of Performance Paragliding, Bellemin is a long-time competitor and winner of several national and international paraglid-

Discussing task-specific strategies during our daily team briefing. Photo by Emily Mistick.

ing competitions. Bellemin took the team on a comprehensive tour of the flying arena, both virtually via a four-hour-long video call, and then in person in the days prior to the competition. One of the interesting things about the 2023 event was that there were multiple launch possibilities (12 listed on the event website), with the task committee picking the best location each day based on the weather. It was crucial to have Bellemin’s expert local knowledge to bring the team up to speed on some of the complexities of this expansive flying environment, including where to look for unexpected convergences, when to push at full speed along a ridge versus when to stop and thermal, and where to find entry and exit points for major valley crossings as well as places to avoid.

In the end, the event used four different launch-

es: Montlambert, Montmin La Forclaz, Saint Hilaire du Touvet, and Le Semnoz—a proper tour of the area!

Team pilot impressions

After Worlds concluded, I asked a few of the team pilots to share their perspectives about the event.

Can you describe the flying conditions?

Josh Cohn: “Moderately strong. It was tricky to get up from the main launch, Montlambert, requiring going into a sort of lee area and hugging the ridge. There was lots of running ridges very low with large gaggles.”

Galen Kirkpatrick: “The conditions were great. During tasks we experienced really varied conditions which is an important reminder about racing in mountain environments. We would

Galen is ready for take-off during one of our training days with Maxime. Photo by Pam Kinnaird.

often have really great conditions in some valleys followed by tricky sections of ridge soaring further along course line. To fly these tasks efficiently, you only climb in certain areas.”

Evan Bouchier: “Flying conditions were super tricky and required constant gear shifting throughout the entire speed range. Almost every task involved long sections of running along ridges and cliffs, where it was best to keep it in fourth or fifth gear and keep moving close to the terrain. Often this was a game of scooping up height as you soared along the ridges, and the best pilots would be 200–400 m higher after soaring terrain at full speed for 10–15 km. Valley crossing connections between terrain sections slowed down to conserve height, and we often arrived low on the far side in broken lift and lee thermals. The arrival points of the big crossings were tricky, but as soon as the gaggle was sorted, it would turn back into a full-speed run along another section

of ridges and cliffs. There was almost always a strong distinction between the lower valley layers, which would be inverted with strong valley flow, and the upper layers with high instability and lots of overdevelopment. Sinking down into the strong valley flows was often un-recoverable, whereas the upper layer was producing extremely strong lift and overdevelopment that forced different gaggles to divert from the course line to avoid dropping cells. On at least two days, there were significant amounts of rain and hail on course, and many pilots reported getting quite wet.”

Violeta Jimenez: “While we were lucky to fly nine tasks—I say lucky because the weather is famously unpredictable in the Alps in the spring—conditions were very tricky, with inversions most mornings and risk of spectacular overdevelopment by the afternoon. Most days, our tasks managed to avoid the worst of the OD,

Happy pilots in goal! (L to R) Josh Cohn , Evan Bouchier, and Andy Macrae. Photos by Pam Kinnaird.

but we did stop a couple of tasks because of wind and rain. There were some incredible convergences and areas where everything shut down in the shade. And lots of classic alpine ridge running an arm’s length from the terrain with 150 of your friends.”

What surprised you the most?

Evan Bouchier: “Despite an overall theme of flying full-speed along ridges and powering up tight cores under big clouds, the results were heavily influenced by major downshifts to first and second gear on a few key days. One example is the first task, where all but 20 pilots landed during a total shade-out, but the best pilots shifted to first gear and even flew backward along the course to park in the one small section of ridge still producing lift to wait for the sun. Another key example was climbing out of launch at

Montlambert, where we flew for a majority of the comp (five of nine tasks). This was an extremely difficult climb out in a high-pressure inversion, with bubbles that would occasionally squish through against the terrain. More than a third of the competitors failed to climb out before the start on three of the tasks (including me for one task), and it was soul-crushing to be stuck on the terrain 800 m below the main gaggle as the start opened. Digging out of this launch required tons of patience and grit, as well as diligent searching and, ideally, joining a competent group to make the move along the ridge behind launch in search of small bubbles of lift rising along the terrain. However, once you made it above the terrain, it was super buoyant and easy to stay up, and it became more of a matter of staying out of the clouds before start! Such a strange combo.”

Galen Kirkpatrick: “The amount of time we spent not thermalling. So much can be accomplished by running ridges. Going straight but going up. Line choice is paramount. The French pilots, their professionalism, teamwork, and their unrelenting talent.”

Violeta Jimenez: “I was surprised at how unique the place was regarding the style required to race fast there. You could gain (or lose) a huge advantage quickly if you understood where you didn’t have to turn or where you needed to thermal to get ahead. It was eye-opening to see how well many people who knew the arena could take advantage of it.”

What are some of your key takeaways?

Josh Cohn: “It’s important to double-check the task; don’t trust a provisional task. Don’t try to outsmart the gaggle by taking risky lines alone or playing it safer than the gaggle on the final glide.”

Galen Kirkpatrick: “I’ve been working on

Galen being interviewed about her spectacular task 9 performance by Joanna DiGrigoli for Cross Country Magazine. Photo by Pam Kinnaird.

centering fun as a part of my task flying performance. Racing in the Alps and the requisite style it takes is challenging to learn, but I can honestly say that I had fun each day. Fun when I sunk out, fun when I decided to go land, and fun when I flew well.”

Evan Bouchier: “One of my key takeaways from the event is a subtlety about being able to convert lift while still flying fast. The best pilots, particularly the French team and many of the pilots from the Alps, would not only be the fastest along the ridge runs, but they would also gain more height along the way. This made it easier/faster to climb out at the end of a ridge run before making the valley crossing, such that it would often determine the separation of the gaggles. I’m still trying to unpack this subtlety, but in short, it’s a result of gliding smoothly through the chunky air via clean and well-timed inputs on the bar and gentle, minimal inputs on the B’s. At a technical level, my understanding is that you need to hold your speed when you first hit lift and pitch back, then come off bar only slightly as the glider pitches forward, catch with minimal

B’s, then re-engage speed immediately through whatever bubble of lift is remaining in order to minimize the resultant pitching.”

What advice do you have for the next U.S. Nationals team that will be competing in 2025 in Andradas, Brazil?

Galen Kirkpatrick: “We all had a desire for a cohesive team, and we made that happen. We got along and learned about each other. This trust we developed was necessary for proper team flying. Proper team flying, coupled with excellent pilotage, is how these team-based races are won.”

Josh Cohn: “Find a house or place to stay (with A/C!) within walking distance of headquarters if possible. Clearly define the team leader’s job description and ensure all team members sign on to it. Use the very nice jerseys that Evan designed. Use direct appeals in addition to social media for fundraising since the reach of social media is limited. Bring a decent Bluetooth speaker and good playlists. Work on team communication in flight. Have fun!”

Evan Bouchier: “Advice for the next Worlds team is to continue to focus on team-building

and acting as a cohesive group. Despite tricky conditions and perhaps not flying to our full potential at this event, we had strong team dynamics and a very positive vibe through nearly three weeks spent together (in addition to several months of preparation and virtual meetings). I believe we would happily go through a similar experience together again. Over time I think this will continue to help the U.S. team and the broader U.S. racing community elevate our game and increase our cohesiveness.”

Violeta Jimenez: “Definitely keep practicing team flying. This is tricky, but the teams who did it well (notably the French and the British) gained an advantage. We have the opportunity to do this at other high-level comps (the PanAms or PWCs where we’ve had multiple Americans). It’s not a muscle you can flex when you get to a comp if you haven’t trained it, and you’re leaving something on the table if you go into a comp like the Worlds as if it’s a solo race.”

CIVL jury impressions

Having served on the CIVL jury at this year’s World Championships, I asked Bill Hughes to share his impression.

According to Hughes, “One of our takeaways from the World Championship this year is to improve the level of communication between team leaders and the organization (the local organization and the CIVL officials). Another is to clarify some of the rules in S7 that some pilots feel are unclear.”

Team leader impressions

This was my first time attending a Cat 1 event and my first time serving in a role like this. In the beginning, it was a little intimidating to be in the company of Jockey Sanderson (UK), Julien Garcia (FRA), and other professional coaches who’ve been to countless Cat 1 events. I learned, though,

that the team lead role can be played in various ways, and ultimately it is about supporting the team along with the individual pilots.

I enjoyed seeing our team dynamics evolve over the course of the event. We had regular team debriefs to share feedback, work through setbacks, and discuss individual and team goals for the next days. One seemingly small but impactful process we instituted was an expanded radio check where each pilot would announce the distance to goal and time to start before launching. This served the dual purpose of verifying comms and completing a final instruments check. In the age of using QR codes to import the task, it’s easy to miss minor changes to start time and turnpoint radii.

It was fascinating to witness the team tactics employed by the French team this year. Having two non-scoring pilots, the French often had at least one pilot leading out ahead of the scoring pilots. I learned so much from other team leaders, organizers, and, most importantly, my team pilots.

Results

The springtime weather in the Alps made the event tricky, but over two weeks, there were nine tasks (two of which were stopped for unsafe flying conditions). The French team performed spectacularly, sweeping the individual open podium, claiming 1st and 2nd on the female podium, and taking first on the nations podium. Maxime Pinot (FRA) was crowned the new World Champion, followed by Honorin Hamard (FRA) and Pierre Remy (FRA). Meryl Delferriere (FRA) claimed top honors as the Female World Champion, followed by Constance Mettetal (FRA) and Nanda Walliser (SUI). The top three national teams spots went to France, the United Kingdom, and North Macedonia.

Sponsors

We would like to send a huge thank you to Foundation for Free Flight for covering the U.S. paragliding team’s entry fees this year and for their continued support for paragliding and hang gliding in the U.S. over the years.

Founded in 1987 as a 501(c)(3) public charitable corporation, the Foundation is charged with conserving the sport’s flying opportunities for future generations. This includes site preservation, safety, and education and supporting PG and HG competition. The Foundation raises money through tax-deductible donations. For more information, please visit their website:

foundationforfreeflight.org/donate/ We also want to thank Eagle Paragliding, SuperFly Paragliding, and Flying Camp Paragliding for their donations. We are also very grateful to XCSkies, FlyTec USA, and Bill Hughes for sponsoring gifts and raffle prizes for our fundraising participants. Last but not least, we appreciate the love and support from the flying community and our families! We couldn’t have done it without you as is evidenced by all the support listed at (www.gofundme.com/f/send-team-usa-tothe-2023-pg-world-championships). Thank you, and let’s get excited about the next Worlds in Brazil!

Detailed results at www.civlcomps.org/event/pgworlds-2023/results

Enjoying a well-earned fondue feast. Photo by Emily Mistick.

Rotor: Understanding an Invisible Threat

[previously published in Cross Country Magazine]

: From the days we first took flying lessons, our instructors introduced us to the concept of rotors and other turbulence in the lee of mountains, buildings, rows of trees, and other obstacles. We were taught to avoid these areas for our safety. There are many diagrams of rotors depicted in books relating to flying weather. Many instructors draw the swirling rotor in the lee of an obstacle during ground school, and thanks to these illustrations, most novice pilots have a healthy respect for staying out of the lee.

What is not always taught is the size, strength, and characteristics of a lee-side rotor or vortex tube. This is because there is no prototypical rotor. Each is a product of the underlying terrain type, wind speed, wind direction, and the stability of the airmass. A real-life rotor behaves much like a malleable, snaky roller bearing doing its best to smooth out the terrain for the faster-flowing layers above. We must remember that rotor is not two-dimensional as it is often drawn. The drawings and diagrams of rotors are

Light cloud helps to vizualize the rotor.

slices in time through a vortex tube or snaky roller bearing at a single point in time.

It is rare to actually see rotor. In clear air, it is invisible unless it picks up debris, dust, or fresh snow. In cloud, it is hard to see anything. The best chance at observing the size and dynamics of a particular rotor is when cloudbase is at or just slightly below a ridge height. The ridge has to be sharp enough, and the wind needs to be strong enough to induce a rotor in the lee. This is what is captured in this photo. The photo was taken looking west from the south side near the crest of the Alps on the Italy/Austria border. It is just starting to dry out in the late afternoon after two days of rainy weather. There is a brisk north wind blowing perpendicular to the crest. In this photo, the wind is blowing from the right to the left. The lower cloudbase is just slightly below crest level. There is a drier layer above,

followed by a second layer of cloud higher up that begins to dissipate as it descends on the left side of the photo. The rocky crest is sharp enough to create a rotor in the immediate lee. If you are fortunate enough to see a similar rotor, it is worth observing its dynamics. Try to estimate the size and the approximate speed of rotation. Take note of whether the rotor is morphing or migrating over time. Some rotors are fixed to the terrain while others are constantly being shed downwind as new ones spin up in the immediate lee. Shedding of such rotors is often felt as gusty turbulence. A common example is the constant shedding of rotors by a large, non-aerodynamic vehicle traveling fast down the road. To a bystander, this type of rotor feels like a strong, short-lived gust.

In the mountains, it is important to learn how to discern the difference between a lee-side

It is rare to actually see rotor. In clear air, it is invisible unless it picks up debris, dust, or fresh snow. In cloud, it is hard to see anything.

gust (which can, at times, blow upslope) and a thermal cycle. The gust will often be shorter lived, on the order of seconds, and more erratic than a thermal. This is because it is caused by a migrating rotor or vortex tube rolling past your location. Such migrating vortex tubes tend to stretch and break down into ever smaller vortex tubes. Some of this stretching can momentarily intensify the speed of rotation resulting in nasty turbulence. Thermal cycles tend to last a minute or more and usually exhibit a more progressive ramp-up and ramp-down of wind speed.

If the lee is the sunny side, it is possible to get a combination of both thermal- and lee-side turbulence. It is common in the morning hours that the true wind has yet to mix down. If the wind aloft is west, but is calm at ridge level, then launching into thermals on the east or southeast slopes makes perfect sense. If the launch itself is below ridge level, it is essential to be vigilant of the west wind starting to mix down. Often, this transition first manifests as dust devils or swirling vegetation accompanying the arrival of a thermal. Until the west wind picks up significantly, it will not overpower the buoyant upslope flow lower down on the east faces.

The rotor in this photo spun fixed over the same location. Over a few minutes, the most significant changes in the rotor’s appearance were caused by pulses of drier and more humid air being brought in by north wind. These pulses were the result of late afternoon thermals originating north of the crest and reaching dew point near crest level. At times, the rotor would seem to dissipate as a drier batch of air arrived or as there was a break between thermals. As the next thermal pulsed and more humid air swept past the crest, the rotor would appear to materialize again. However, just because the rotor was not visible at times, did not mean that it ceased to exist. What is also evident in this

photo is that not all of the air from the cumulus cloud arriving from the north was swept into the lee and spun up into rotor. Though ragged looking, the more buoyant portion of the cloud continued on an upward trajectory even past the crest.

The vertical component of the rotation in the immediate lee appeared strong enough to allow a bird to soar. (Some birds have a habit of exploiting the rotor to soar in the immediate lee— they can get away with it.) If feasible, it might be interesting to hike up into the rotor and feel the wind on your face. In some locations, this wraparound component of a stationary rotor can feel constant and light enough to lure the unsuspecting pilot into launching. The unfortunate soul choosing to launch would quickly discover their mistake once airborne. To avoid such a potentially precipitous fall from grace, it is crucial to be aware of what the wind is doing at crest level. If there are no clouds present to indicate that you are in the lee, and you have no other indicators regarding the strength and direction of the wind at the crest, it is worth taking a quick hike up to verify that you have not inadvertently chosen a launch spot that is in the rotor. Even if you find out that your launch spot is on the upwind side, knowledge of the wind strength at crest level will help you evaluate whether or not it is wise to launch part-way down the mountain. Sometimes 100 or 200 meters down the upwind side can place you into a stagnation zone where the wind can be very light or almost absent, while at the crest level, it can sometimes be blowing faster than your maximum glider speed. Don’t underestimate the importance of knowing the true wind speed and direction at crest level. When in doubt, take the time to hike to the crest or, at the very least, to the side of the mountain, to accurately evaluate what you might be launching into.

Accident Assistance Fund (AAF)

Members Helping Members in Times of Need

The AAF is the first initiative launched by the recently created Development Committee. The AAF will help cover medical and other expenses resulting from free flying accidents*. If you’re interested in helping your fellow pilots in times of need, please consider making a taxdeductible gift to the AAF. To kickstart the AAF, two generous members have agreed to donate $5,000 each, for a total of $10,000 in matching funds. This is an incredible opportunity to double the impact of your contribution to the AAF.

Scan QR code for more details on the AAF and how to make a tax-deductible donation.

* The AAF will only have access to funds donated by members and earmarked for the AAF. The AAF is not insurance and is not intended to be a replacement for insurance, but rather to help with insurance deductibles and unforeseen medical and other expenses in times of need. USHPA encourages all pilots to practice safe flying and stay current and maintain proper medical insurance coverage. Details of the AAF are available on USHPA’s website including eligibility requirements, application process, and fund management.

Then and Now

A hang gliding hotspot at Dog Mountain

by Paul Dees

In the upper left corner of the continental U.S., we have an exceptional flying site that is consistently flyable, it seems, on all sunny days and many wet ones. This place, Dog Mountain, also has a vibrant community of hang glider and paraglider pilots that is warm and open to growing the skills of novice hang glider pilots

to become intermediate pilots. Located southeast of the small town of Morton, Washington, and nearly equidistant from Seattle and Portland, Dog is special because it helps build community between pilots from these two large metro areas. The site attracts pilots because of its consistency. Located at

Bird’s eye view of launch and setup areas. Photo by Paul Dees.

the east end of Riffe Lake, the daily draw of air happens when the mountains east of Dog heat up and pull the sea breeze from the coast right down the lake and up to launch.

In the late afternoon on good days, the wind switches north, and then it is a joy to cross the lake to the west, soar Elk Mountain, and fly down the lake (beyond any LZ) with confidence you can return to the “Dogpatch” LZ.

USHGA 1976 Nationals, Quicksilver launch. Photo by Paul Taylor.

USHGA 1976 Nationals, launching the Quicksilver (left) and standard Rogallo (right). Photos by Paul Taylor.

Cross-country flights are possible, although the lake’s cool water can make thermaling less common. There is a sizeable west-facing launch and a north launch through a slot in the trees, both of which are very steep and unforgiving of errors.

Dog was discovered in 1974 by United airline pilot Jeff Johnson who, while flying over the then newly clear-cut mountain in a 747, thought, “Wow, that would be a great place to hang glide!” That weekend he flew it, and the rest is history.

In 1976, the U.S. Nationals come to Dog, as hang gliding competitions rapidly evolved. The enthusiasm of the times brought out thousands of paying spectators and many pilots flying gliders with designs that today would look quite odd (rigid wings with tails and rudders and standard rogallo wings that looked like string kites). The event also attracted a teenage photographer, Paul Taylor, who took beautiful

black-and-white images. He later took up hang gliding, though he is no longer active. You can learn more about the ‘76 Nationals from the article in the August 1976 issue of Ground Skimmer magazine, the old publication name for USHPA Pilot several name changes ago. A key lesson from that event was never holding

Flying by launch. Photo by Paul Dees.

USHGA 1976 Nationals, Standard Rogallo.

Photo by Paul Taylor.

a June competition in the Pacific Northwest. We locals often refer to June as “Juneuary,” as it can still be wet and cold.

Between 1976 and today, the site has evolved and endured much. The clear-cut mountain of 1976 now has nearly 50-year-old timber that supports at least one pair of nesting bald eagles. A timber company owns the road and the launch area and a public utility company owns the LZ. Our primary site contacts, Larry and Tina Jorgensen, have worked tirelessly over the decades to maintain good relations with these two landowners, and at times it has involved large outlays of money to compensate for cut trees to keep the launch clear. Thank you, Jorgensens! We were also extremely grateful when

we received financial help from the Foundation for Free Flight for several significant expenses. Our LZ landowner had allowed trees to sprout up between the lake and our Dogpatch LZ, and now thankfully, they are cut down, keeping our smooth air in Dogpatch. Our local Seattle USHPA hang gliding club, Cloudbase Country Club, covers insurance for the site, and we have an annual springtime “Frostbite” gathering

USHGA 1976 Nationals, Quicksilver and Icarus V flying side-by-side. Photo by Paul Taylor.

About time to land. Photo by Paul Dees.

renew our CBCC dues simultaneously. Dog is mainly flown by hang glider pilots, and though paragliding is permitted, a P3 rating is required and the numbers are restricted due to the small lift band near launch and the launch challenges for paraglider pilots. These challenges include a very abrupt lip to the hill at the edge of launch that, combined with frequent crosswinds, can make things pretty spicy for our paragliding

friends.

Flying at Dog requires an USHPA rating and either a day/weekend or a season pass for gate access. Novice hang glider pilots must have a

Our happy place. Photo by Susan Dudgeon.

USHGA 1976 Nationals. From LZ looking at the clear cut near launch. Photo by Paul Taylor.

USHGA 1976 Nationals, UP Dragonfly. Photo by Paul Taylor.

Glenn Duval readies for launch in his Icaro Alto. Photo by Susan Dudgeon.

launch sponsor rated intermediate or above. That said, Dog is the perfect place for novice hang glider pilots to gain skills for their intermediate rating. If you want to visit and fly Dog, please contact the club via the Cloudbase Country Club Facebook page!

We had over 50 pilots buy keys to the gate to the logging road up to launch at our 2023 “Mini-bite” key day, our first post-pandemic event. Perhaps more significantly, we had three novice hang glider pilots from the Portland area whooping and dog-barking after multiple successful high-altitude flights, a hopeful sign for the future of hang gliding and free flight at Dog Mountain.

USHGA 1976 Nationals. Photographer Paul Taylor, as a teen that soon took up flying.

USHGA 1976 Nationals. Standard Rogallo going for the target. Photo by Paul Taylor.

Dog Mountain protocols and contacts. Photo by Allisson Rossman. Where great stories are told. Photo by Russ Gelfan.

What it’s all about. Photo by Allisson Rossman.

SEP 24 > USHPA BOARD OF DIRECTORS

MEETING > Red Rocks Fall Fly-In, Richfield, UT. USHPA’s in-person Board of Directors Meeting is happening in conjunction with the 2023 Red Rocks Fall Fly-In. The meeting itself will take place on the Saturday and Sunday before the fly-in kicks off. Many USHPA directors will then be in attendance for the fly-in to help answer questions about USHPA and listen to member concerns. www.ushpa.org/boardmeeting

CALENDAR

The event calendar shows all USHPA-sponsored events including sanctioned competitions, ACE events, board meetings and instructor, admin, or towing cliniccs. For student cliinics, tours, fly-ins, and more check the Classified listings.

OCT 21-22 > UHGPGA RESERVE CHUTE TOSS CLINIC > Bluffdale, UT. Requirements: UHGPGA member, USHPA member, waiver. www.uhgpga.org

NOV 28 > USHPA BOARD OF DIRECTORS

MEETING > This meeting is virtual. Registration for online attendance closes at 5:00 pm MT on Monday, November 27. The meeting will begin at 6pm MT on Tuesday, November 28. Please use the email and zip code associated with your USHPA membership to register (Note: You may have trouble registering if you use Safari; we recommend using a different browser). Register here: https://webinar.ringcentral.com/webinar/register/ WN_M-KhDN2WSIuOOav5BhikFg

CLASSIFIED

Rates start at $10.00 for up to 200 characters. ALL CLASSIFIEDS ARE PREPAID. No refunds given for cancellations. More info: ushpa. org/page/magazine-classified-advertising

HAWAII > PARAGLIDE MAUI > Call Paul Gurrieri for information about flying on Maui. Our school offers beginner to advanced instruction, year round. It takes 10-14 days to get your P2 license. +1 808-874-5433 paraglidemaui.com

NORTH CAROLINA > KITTY HAWK KITES > The largest hang gliding school in the world, teaching since 1974. Learn to hang glide on the east coast's largest sand dune. Year-round instruction, foot launch, and tandem aerotow. 1902 Wright Glider Experience available. Dealer for Moyes, Wills Wing, and North Wing. 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. +1 252-441-2426, +1 877-FLY-THIS, kittyhawk.com/ hang-gliding

NEW HAMPSHIRE > MORNINGSIDE > A Kitty Hawk Kites flight park. The northeast's premier hang gliding and paragliding training center, teaching since 1974. Hang gliding foot launch and tandem aerotow training. Paragliding foot launch and tandem training. Powered paragliding instruction. Dealer for Moyes, Wills Wing, and North Wing. Located in Charlestown, NH. Also visit our North Carolina location, Kitty Hawk Kites Flight School. +1 603-542-4416, www.flymorningside.com

VIRGINIA > BLUE SKY > Full-time, year-round hang gliding instruction, scooter towing, platform towing, powered harnesses, part-time aero towing, part-time paragliding, custom sewing. Wills Wing, Moyes, Icaro, Swedish Aerosport, Woody Valley, +1 804-241-4324, www.blueskyhg.com

USHPA WEBSITE CONTENT COORDINATOR > Have experience with content review? USHPA needs your help! We are in search of a volunteer to review and index content on ushpa.org to help our updating process. Interested? Visit ushpa.org/volunteer.

PARACRANE TOURS 2023 > Paragliding tours to Costa Rica, Brazil, and Europe with veteran tour guide Nick Crane. Small groups, flexible schedule, epic flying. Costa Rica, Jan. 17-27 and Feb. 1-11 / Brazil, March 10-20 / Austria, Slovenia, Italy, Sep. 7-17 / France, Switzerland and the Coupe Icare, Sep. 20-30. www. paracranetours.com, Contact: nick@paracrane.com

BUYERS SHOULD SELECT EQUIPMENT THAT IS APPROPRIATE FOR THEIR SKILL LEVEL OR RATING. NEW PILOTS SHOULD SEEK PROFESSIONAL INSTRUCTION FROM A USHPA CERTIFIED INSTRUCTOR. 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. USED PARAGLIDERS should always be thoroughly inspected before flying for the first time. Annual inspections on paragliders should include sailcloth strength tests. 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. BUYER BEWARE.

Take your ratings and expiration date everywhere you fly. View from the Members Area section of the USHPA website. Print, trim, and store in your wallet. Great for areas without cell coverage. Always available at www.USHPA.org

Save the PDF on your mobile device for easy reference.

Ratings Issued April, May & June 2023

H1 1 Brenden hubele ID Rick Morrison

H1 3 Sean Hilleary NM Mel Glantz

H1 3 Eric Muss-Barnes CA Andrew T. Beem

H1 3 Elle Opitz CA Bob Steven Bendetson

H1 4 Mason Cobb TN William G. Vaughn

H1 4 Susan Jocobs FL Scott Schneider

H1 4 Spencer Lykins NC William G. Vaughn

H1 4 Joey Savitsky NC William G. Vaughn

H1 4 Chris Weaton VA William G. Vaughn

H1 5 Dwight Brenner OH John W. Alden

H1 5 Philip Calhoun MD Steve A. Wendt

H1 5 Mikal Sanderson NY Theodore Hurley

H1 5 Jennifer Shatzkin PA William G. Vaughn

H2 1 Chi-Chung Hung WY John Calvin Matylonek

H2 1 Richard Lemen OR John Calvin Matylonek

H2 1 Yuri Mikel Vincent OR John Calvin Matylonek

H2 3 Cooper Alison-Mayne CA William C. Dydo

H2 3 John Paul Bonn AZ Scott Schneider

H2 3 Daniel Clarke CO Scott Schneider

H2 3 Christopher Gulden CA William C. Dydo

H2 3 Brennen Hatfield CA William C. Dydo

H2 3 Randy Johnson CA John Heiney

H2 3 Miguel Palacios CA Dan DeWeese

H2 3 Dwayne powell CA Andrew T. Beem

H2 4 Ray Beem TN Gordon Cayce

H2 4 Edmund Bridges GA Gordon Cayce

H2 4 Brian Fydenkevez KY Gordon Cayce

H2 4 Brian Greeson FL Derreck Turner

H2 4 Jon Hollinshead TN Scott Schneider

H2 4 Tyler Lexa MO Scott Schneider

H2 4 Linda Richmond FL Malcolm A. Jones

H2 4 Emma Schmidt NC Gordon Cayce

H2 4 Mark K. Smith GA Matthew Taber

H2 4 Mark Tompkins VA Ian Boughton

H2 4 Scott Wilbur FL Gordon Cayce

H2 5 Tiberiu M. Cioci ON Malcolm A. Jones

H2 5 Jerry Lin PA Scott Schneider

H2 5 Schuyler Martin MD Scott Schneider

H2 5 Marc-Antoine Morin QC Robert J. Hastings

H2 5 Scott Morrison ON Dan DeWeese

H2 5 Gisele Ouimet QC Gordon Cayce

H2 5 Filipp Rodriguez Loginova MD Steve A. Wendt

H2 5 Andrew Tacilauskas AE John Heiney

H3 1 Daniel Morrison WA Larry C. Jorgensen

H3 1 Guy Roetcisoender OR Scott Schneider

H3 1 Justin Woods MT Dan DeWeese

H3 2 Mark Budenbender CA John Simpson

H3 3 Dave Dickinson AZ Dan DeWeese

H3 4 Greg Bolloten TN Dan DeWeese

H3 4 Charles F. Close VA Andy Thompson

H3 4 Federico Panzitta FL James E. Tindle

H3 4 Blase Theodore FL Malcolm A. Jones

H3 5 Wesley Almeida IL Scott Schneider

H3 5 Seth Jenkins MD Gordon Cayce

H3 5 Shawn Johnson MA Malcolm A. Jones

H3 5 David Schechter MD William G. Vaughn

H3 5 Tobias Seidel ME Richard A. Fitzpatrick

H4 1 Bryan F. Goodnight HI Malcolm A. Jones

H4 1 Paul Phillips ID John Heiney

H4 3 Jeremy A. Friesner CA Josh Patrick Laufer

H4 3 Jay Plaehn CA William C. Dydo

H4 4 Catherine Gagnon FL Malcolm A. Jones

H4 4 Gavin Gallagher FL Malcolm A. Jones

H4 5 Gregory Hiller MA Richard A. Fitzpatrick

H4 5 Stanley C. Miles MA John Heiney

H4 5 Tom Morrison ON Dan DeWeese

H4 5 Brian Vant Hull NY Richard A. Fitzpatrick

P1 1 Timothy Hynde WA Maren Ludwig

P1 1 Kristian Nilsson AK Christopher Grantham

P1 1 Alex Stewart OR Randolph Ruffin

P1 2 Surya Tej Chinni CA Jeffrey J. Greenbaum

P1 2 Jamie Dooley UT Blake Pelton

P1 2 Daniel Hacking CA Jeffrey J. Greenbaum

P1 2 Medha Jha CA Jeffrey J. Greenbaum

P1 2 Johnathan Lomas NV Mitchell B. Neary

P1 2 Aletheia Preston CA Jeffrey J. Greenbaum

P1 3 Gregory Enzweiler CA Jay Whiteaker

P1 3 Ray Pili CA Jay Whiteaker

P1 3 James Roberts CO Dustin Miller

P1 3 Wyatt Tyler CA Jay Whiteaker

P1 3 Haotian Zhang CA Jay Whiteaker

P1 4 Abhishek Garg KY Jeffrey J. Greenbaum

P1 4 Jameson Gentry AR Ian McManus

P1 4 Kent Witt TX Chris W. Santacroce

P1 5 Timothy Kassis MA Chris W. Santacroce

P2 1 Justin Andersen WA Austin Cox

P2 1 Ben Andrushko AK Evan Mathers

P2 1 Matthew Arbo OR Kelly A. Kellar

P2 1 Amanda Augustus SD Chris W. Santacroce

P2 1 Jay Barton WA Chad Uchino

P2 1 Rachelle Bassett WA Austin Cox

P2 1 Brandon Blaschke WA Marc Chirico

P2 1 Felix Bolongaro WA Austin Cox

P2 1 Bradley Bourn MT Andy Macrae

P2 1 Kelly Carter OR Kelly A. Kellar

P2 1 Nathan Carter OR Kelly A. Kellar

P2 1 Jason Davis WA Denise Reed

P2 1 Gabriel C. Dinu OR Jason Shapiro

P2 1 Adam DiPietro AK Jonathan Jefferies

P2 1 Ashlon Durham HI Harry Sandoval

P2 1 Chris Ebeling OR Kelly A. Kellar

P2 1 Mark Edgley WA Denise Reed

P2 1 Jonathan Fleming WA Andy Macrae

P2 1 Erik Greger WY Scott C. Harris

P2 1 Robert Hardwick WA Robert Black

P2 1 Tarn Heath WA Matt Cone

P2 1 Carl Herriman WA Christopher J. Pyse

P2 1 Kevin Ho WA Misha Banks

P2 1 Luke Holbert WA Austin Cox

P2 1 Khoi Huynh MT Andy Macrae

P2 1 Ronald Jackson AK Nathan Alex Taylor

P2 1 Christopher Kautz MT Andy Macrae

P2 1 Ryan Kelberg OR Kelly A. Kellar

P2 1 Dillon Kilroy WA Andy Macrae

P2 1 Joshua Krohn WA Denise Reed

P2 1 Seth Langford MT Andy Macrae

P2 1 Cory Leonard WA Justin Brown

P2 1 Steve Martell WA Denise Reed

P2 1 Alexander Orlov WA Justin Brown

P2 1 Donnie Perry OR Kelly A. Kellar

P2 1 Eric Pressley OR Kelly A. Kellar

P2 1 Peter Reinhardt WA Patrick Kelly

P2 1 Andy Ridder WA Marc Chirico

P2 1 Ary Schalick HI Paul Gurrieri

P2 1 Christopher Small WA Matt Cone

P2 1 Jens Springmann HI David Dexter Binder

P2 1 Hannah Susie NE Nathan Alex Taylor

P2 1 Joseph S. Swift MT Andy Macrae

P2 1 Siamak Tavakoli IA Jaro Krupa

P2 1 Braden Tuck WA Kelly A. Kellar

P2 1 Jan Vandenkieboom WA Patrick Kelly

P2 1 Milos Vukic WA Austin Cox

P2 2 Nele Achten CA David Oddy

P2 2 Jeff Armstead CA Michael McCook

P2 2 Simon Bambey CA Wallace K. Anderson

P2 2 Austin Becker CA Robert Black

P2 2 Erel Betser CA Wallace K. Anderson

P2 2 Thomas Buckman UT Patrick Kelly

P2 2 Noah DeBruin UT Stephen J. Mayer

P2 2 Xiaodong Deng CA Jesse L. Meyer

P2 2 Kylie Fly UT Ben White

P2 2 Mauricio Franco UT Nathan Alex Taylor

P2 2 Shelby Gonzales UT Ben White

P2 2 William Grimsich CA Robert Black

REGION 1

NORTHWEST

P2 2 Xiaoxing Han CA David Oddy

P2 2 Austin Harris UT Patrick Kelly

P2 2 Pace Hartmann CA Christopher Grantham

P2 2 Morgan Haulenbeek UT Patrick Kelly

P2 2 Xinzhu Huang UT Nathan Alex Taylor

P2 2 Taylyn Hulse CA Jesse L. Meyer

P2 2 Magnus Johnson CA Robert Black

P2 2 Paige Kasper CA Jesse L. Meyer

P2 2 Dick Kikuyama CA David Oddy

P2 2 Ethan Knorr UT Jonathan Jefferies

P2 2 Marcos Kropf CA Robert Black

P2 2 Neeraj Kulkarni UT Ben White

P2 2 Donghao Li UT Nathan Alex Taylor

P2 2 Jenna Lillywhite CA Robert Black

P2 2 Jonathan Lindow UT Nathan Alex Taylor

P2 2 Joshua Lindow UT Nathan Alex Taylor

P2 2 Yin Long CA Jeffrey J. Greenbaum

P2 2 Chris Manko CA Christopher Grantham

P2 2 Christian McNamara CA Jesse L. Meyer

P2 2 Colleen Nunn UT Christopher Gulden

P2 2 Stephan OBrien CA Jeffrey J. Greenbaum

P2 2 Craig Olsen UT Jonathan Jefferies

P2 2 Kevin Randell UT Chris W. Santacroce

P2 2 Kristen Rosser UT Ken W. Hudonjorgensen

P2 2 Christopher P. Segler CA Alejandro Albornoz

P2 2 Michael Shapira CA Wallace K. Anderson

P2 2 Sebastian Stonum UT Patrick Johnson

P2 2 Juan suarez UT Chris W. Santacroce

P2 2 Brayton Teare UT Nathan Alex Taylor

P2 2 Azalea Thompson UT Gary Begley

P2 2 VIET TRINH CA Jesse L. Meyer

P2 2 Sandy Wan CA Wallace K. Anderson

P2 2 Michael Yin CA Patrick Kelly

P2 3 M. Cheyenne Abolt CA Max Leonard Marien

P2 3 Sage Arslan CO Misha Banks

P2 3 Daudi Barnes CO Stacy Whitmore

P2 3 John Bartholomew

William Purden-Jr

P2 3 Cully Brown CO Giovanni Boyd-Bonanno

P2 3 Ryan Buffetti CO Nathan Alex Taylor

P2 3 Ellis Caffin CO William Pardis

P2 3 Josh Camp CO Misha Banks

P2 3 Ray Choi CO Stephen J. Mayer

P2 3 Chris Clemenson CA Stephen Nowak

P2 3 Cungauyar Davidson CO Kevin McGinley

P2 3 Kelsey DeDea CA Christopher Grantham

P2 3 Michael Ecoff CA William Purden-Jr

P2 3 Christian Ferrene CA Nathan Alex Taylor

P2 3 Jonathan Fleury CO Misha Banks

P2 3 Breo Freeman CA Stephen Nowak

P2 3 Marc Gans CA Christopher Gulden

P2 3 Brennen Hatfield CA Christopher Gulden

P2 3 Aaron Hudlemeyer NM Jonathan Jefferies

P2 3 Anthony Keydel CO Mauricio Fleitas

P2 3 Juan Carlos Lara CO Dustin Miller

P2 3 Tom Lekan CO Misha Banks

P2 3 Steve Lobin CA Kent E. Erickson

P2 3 Joel Maguire CA William Purden-Jr

P2 3 Eric Malnati CA Andy Macrae

P2 3 Sean Mathis AZ Charles (Chuck) Woods

P2 3 William McNear CA Christopher Gulden

P2 3 Pedro Mendoza CO Kevin McGinley

P2 3 Joseph Montgomery AZ Chandler Papas

P2 3 Chris Murray CA Stephen Nowak

P2 3 William Patrick CO Mauricio Fleitas

P2 3 Johanna Pekrins CO Kevin McGinley

P2 3 Joseph Pewitt CO Kevin McGinley

P2 3 Anita Rae AZ Nathan Alex Taylor

P2 3 Ben Rathjen CA Emily Wallace

P2 3 Maverick Rauchle CA Christopher Gulden

P2 3 Nicole Redfield CA Jeremy Bishop

P2 3 NATHAN RUSSELL CA Emily Wallace

P2 3 Matt Segler CO Austin Cantrell

P2 4 Reena Tenorio TN Kelly Myrkle

P2 4 Jose Torrealba FL Alejandro Albornoz

REGION 4 SOUTHEAST

kim NY Esau Diaz Guerrero

P2 5 Eric Linhart OH Christopher Gulden

P2 5 Bill Marlor MI Ciara Kamahele

P2 5 Oneide L Martins NJ Esau Diaz Guerrero

P2 5 Bryan McKay MA Isabella Messenger

P2 5 Chris McNaughton NH Cynthia Currie

P2 5 Jardeson Nilvan PA Esau Diaz Guerrero

P2 5 Gabriel Paraizo CT Esau Diaz Guerrero

P2 5 Andrew Peters MI Jaro Krupa

P2 5 Vivian Qiang NJ Christopher Gulden

REGION 5 NORTHEAST and INTERNATIONAL

Ratings Issued April, May & June 2023 (continued)

P2 5 Kevin Riordan WI Rob Sporrer

P2 5 Mark Rouillard ME Cynthia Currie

P2 5 Joseph Schmitt WI Mariyan Radev Ivanov

P2 5 Nate Schumacher OH Chris W. Santacroce

P2 5 Erik Anders Sjoblom MI Alejandro Albornoz

P2 5 Sukrut Sonty NJ William Purden-Jr

P2 5 Lucas Vieira PA Esau Diaz Guerrero

P2 5 Joshua Weiss NH Isabella Messenger

P2 5 Katelyn M. West MI Chris W. Santacroce

P2 5 Irvin Glenn Williams MA Cynthia Currie

P3 1 Griffin Adams WA Marc Chirico

P3 1 Mariah Arlantico WA Robert Black

P3 1 Derek Berger WA Mitchell Riley

P3 1 Seth Brothers WA Matt Senior

P3 1 Wyatt Brown MT Andy Macrae

P3 1 Christian Carron WA Lawrence Wallman

P3 1 Brady Deal AK Evan Mathers

P3 1 Cameron Forster WA Randall Shane

P3 1 Max Garnett AK Johannes Rath

P3 1 Luca Gorman OR Kelly A. Kellar

P3 1 Danny Hodges OR Kelly A. Kellar

P3 1 John Kangas ID Paul Gurrieri

P3 1 Jeffrey Lang WY Pete Michelmore

P3 1 Forrest Murter MT Andy Macrae

P3 1 Kevin O'Neill ID Jonathan Jefferies

P3 1 Skyler Pinion OR Stephen J. Mayer

P3 1 Timothy Potts Jr WA Robert Black

P3 1 Gregory J. Putnam HI Paul Gurrieri

P3 1 Jesse Richman HI Paul Gurrieri

P3 1 Edson Steed ID Harry Sandoval

P3 1 Charles Stenvall OR Maren Ludwig

P3 1 Louis Stitt HI Pete Michelmore

P3 1 Frank Tevis WA Marc Chirico

P3 2 Younus Aftab CA Robert Black

P3 2 John Ionita Aldea CA Jason Shapiro

P3 2 Baron Arnold CA Jesse L. Meyer

P3 2 William Barghahn UT Harry Sandoval

P3 2 Robert Barlow CA Christopher Garcia

P3 2 Michael Bobbe UT Chris W. Santacroce

P3 2 Thorin Day CA Austin Cantrell

P3 2 Rodney Fite CA Robert Black

P3

P3

2 Damon Hardwick CA Robert Black

2 Michael T. Harston UT Chris W. Santacroce

P3 2 Robert Hueber CA Jesse L. Meyer

P3 2 Brennan Kahl CA Cynthia Currie

P3 2 Venkata Rupesh Kumar Dabbir CA Jeffrey J. Greenbaum

P3 2 Heather Maslowski UT Chris W. Santacroce

P3 2 Joseph Merrill CA Jesse L. Meyer

P3 2 Jagadish Nanjegowda CA Jesse L. Meyer

P3 2 Steffen Otto CA Jeffrey J. Greenbaum

P3 2 Patrick Perkins CA Robert Black

P3 2 Reginald Powell III CA Christopher Grantham

P3 2 Alexander Rosenberg CA Joshua Winstead

P3 2 Jason Seto CA Robert Black

P3 2 Andrew Shannon CA Robert Black

P3 2 Sai Surya Shashanka Timmarajus CA Jeffrey J. Greenbaum

P3 2 Andrew Skoog UT Patrick Johnson

P3 2 Aniruth Udomlak CA Jesse L. Meyer

P3 2 Benjamin Yue CA Cynthia Currie

P3 2 Luigi Zevola CA Jesse L. Meyer

P3 2 Tom Zhou UT Stephen J. Mayer

P3 3 Jarrett Arguelles CO Ryan J. Taylor

P3 3 Lucas Atchison CO Gregory Kelley

P3 3 Yangyang Bai CA Emily Wallace

P3 3 Jen Brouillette CA Cynthia Currie

P3 3 Zachery Converse CO Dustin Miller

P3 3 Chyna Denney CA William Purden-Jr

P3 3 Bob Ferris AZ Jordan Neidinger

P3 3 Jeremiah Frazier CO Gregory Kelley

P3 3 Adrian Gonzalez CA William Purden-Jr

P3 3 Leon Hall CA William Purden-Jr

P3 3 Charles Harrington CO Kevin McGinley

P3 3 Colby Helgerson CA Jordan Neidinger

P3 3 Erick Hernandez CO Ryan J. Taylor

P3 3 Michael Holden CA Jordan Neidinger

P3 3 Rhett Kamm AZ Chandler Papas

P3 3 Alyse Little CO Misha Banks

P3 3 Melanie Luther CO Kevin McGinley

P3 3 James D. Mackenzie AZ Chandler Papas

P3 3 Scott McDonnell CA William Purden-Jr

P3 3 Christina McKenzie CA Emily Wallace

P3 3 Daniel Melnyk CA Marcello M. DeBarros

P3 3 Will Moore CO Cynthia Currie

P3 3 Kraig Necker CO Mike Fifield

P3 3 Juan Pelanda CA Steven Marangi

P3 3 Trevor Reynard CA William Purden-Jr

P3 3 Seth Romanenko CA William Purden-Jr

P3 3 Patrick Shepherd CO Johannes Rath

P3 3 Timothy Taylor CA Jordan Neidinger

P3 3 Robby Tozzi CO Chris W. Santacroce

P3 3 Demetrius Verardi Ramos CA Marcello M. DeBarros

P3 3 Orion Whetstone CA William Purden-Jr

P3 3 Daniel Winokur CO Ryan J. Taylor

P3 4 Baltazar Capela FL Alejandro Albornoz

P3 4 William Chouinard WV Ben Herrick

P3 4 Sean Currie FL Cynthia Currie

P3 4 Jochen Fischer NC Austin Kasserman

P3 4 Eric Hall OK Steven Taylor Couch

P3 4 Tye Harvey TX William Purden-Jr

P3 4 Jacob Henley TN Steven Taylor Couch

P3 4 Nandor Kalli GA Alejandro Albornoz

P3 4 Andrew Karnowski KS Christopher Garcia

P3 4 Barry Newton GA Alejandro Albornoz

P3 4 Donald Obst NC Dale Covington

P3 4 Timothy Pratt GA Johannes Rath

P3 4 Evan Robinson FL Harry Sandoval

P3 4 David Spellman SC Chris W. Santacroce

P3 5 Sara Lucia Aguilar Guerrero MA Peter Williams

P3 5 Karen Bender CT Joachim P. Roesler

P3 5 Jean-Marc Berteaux MA Isabella Messenger

P3 5 Felix De Clercq IL Jaro Krupa

P3 5 Antonio Duarte Gonzalez NY Peter Williams

P3 5 Jonathan Effa AE Chris W. Santacroce

P3 5 Maxwell Ettelson NH Emily Wallace

P3 5 Joseph Giglio PA Douglas Brown

P3 5 Kevin Graves AP Steven Marangi

P3 5 Ryan Mello MA Peter Williams

P3 5 Jonas Neichin IL Jaro Krupa

P3 5 Mariia Radushina IL Emily Wallace

P3 5 Daniel Walsh NH Isabella Messenger

P3 5 Ismael Wierzbicki MA Davidson Da-Silva

P3 5 Issah Younossi VT Calef Letorney

P4 1 Ruben Blaine OR Matt Senior

P4 1 Justin Caprari OR Christopher Garcia

P4 1 Ranyon D Arge WY Scott C. Harris

P4 1 Bryan Friedrichs AK Jake Schlapfer

P4 1 Kevin Hogan WA Marc Chirico

P4 1 Ren Huschle HI Pete Michelmore

P4 1 Lucas LeMaire WY Scott C. Harris

P4 1 Christopher Mayers WY Scott C. Harris

P4 1 Patti Mayfield OR Kevin R. Lee

P4 1 Owen Newton WY Scott C. Harris

P4 1 Joshua Ogborn ID Christopher J. Pyse

P4 1 Gary Schnakenberg SD T Lee Kortsch

P4 1 Johannes Schweiger ID Christopher Grantham

P4 1 Patrick Switzer HI Austin Cantrell

P4 1 Scott Wuebber MT Andy Macrae

P4 2 Henrik Bengtsson CA Wallace K. Anderson

P4 2 Zachary Boucher CA Harry Sandoval

P4 2 Jason Elder CA Mitchell B. Neary

P4 2 Thomas Harlay CA Wallace K. Anderson

P4 2 Jacint Peter Jozsa CA Robert Posey

P4 2 Gage Kazickas UT Ben White

P4 2 Kostyantyn Lasiy UT Nathan Alex Taylor

P4 2 Steven Mammano UT Chris W. Santacroce

P4 2 Justus Meyer CA Scott C. Harris

P4 2 Thomas Neff CA Robert Black

P4 2 Pujan Shrestha UT Jonathan Jefferies

P4 2 Tristan Williams CA Cynthia Currie

P4 2 Rifeta Zejnic CA Wallace K. Anderson

P4 3 Jeff Bevan CO Johannes Rath

P4 3 John Buterbaugh AZ Chandler Papas

P4 3 Joseph De Briyn CA Jerome Daoust

P4 3 Stefani Henderson CA Austin Cantrell

P4 3 Dallin Johnson CA Jordan Neidinger

P4 3 David Koski CA Rob Sporrer

P4 3 Michael Labadie CO Johannes Rath

P4 3 Jiri Rutner CA Rob Sporrer

P4 3 John Souther CO Johannes Rath

P4 3 Joby Spencer CO Misha Banks

P4 4 Alfred Crabtree TN Austin Kasserman

P4 4 Carlos Longoria TX Blake Pelton

P4 4 Josh Mazza DC Felix Figueroa

P4 4 Aleksandar Mrljesevic NC Jaro Krupa

P4 4 Scott Scallion AR Steven Taylor Couch

P4 4 Bertrand Stoffel DC Felix Figueroa

P4 4 Eduardo Reategui Vera FL Charles (Chuck) Smith

P4 4 Andrew West OK Steven Marangi

P4 5 Katherine Angulo NJ David W. Prentice

P4 5 Lucio De Souza NH Davidson Da-Silva

P4 5 HELBERT MAXIMILIANO DOS SANTOS ROSA CT Isabella Messenger

P4 5 Matthew Etter IN David W. Prentice

P4 5 Marek Kadamus IL Jaro Krupa

P4 5 Mike Sopyla NH Isabella Messenger

P4 5 Miguel Aquiles Aquiles Vasquez CT Esau Diaz Guerrero

S1 2 David Oddy CA Jeff Shapiro

S2 2 Benjamin Carney UT Jeff Katz

S2 2 Norbert Chung UT Jeff Katz

S2 2 Chris Dailey UT Jeff Katz

S2 2 Joseph Hastings UT Jeff Katz

S2 2 Morgan Haulenbeek UT Jeff Katz

S2 2 Julia Lieberman UT Jeff Katz

S2 2 James M Goodro UT Jeff Katz

S2 2 Kathryn Silva UT Jeff Katz

S2 2 Robert Somary UT Jeff Katz

S2 3 Stan Barankiewicz II CA Jeremy Bishop

S2 3 Amberly Brown CA Jeremy Bishop

S2 3 Sean Eric Englund CO Jeremy Bishop

S2 3 Aaron Schmidt AZ Gary Begley

S2 4 Gilberto Guevara FL Gary Begley

S2 5 Alden Mead ME John E. Cady III

S3 3 Noah Hecht CA Carl Weiseth

S4 1 Joshua Phillips MT Chris W. Santacroce

S4 3 Jeremy Bishop CA Carl Weiseth

New Online training!

USHPA P2 course available now!

USHPA is excited to announce a new partnership with Skygear Hub to deliver USHPA training material at glidertraining.org

This online course fulfills the 8-hour in-person ground school requirement. Spend your valuable time on the hill practicing, not studying! Also includes P2 checklist and flight log tools for tracking your progress, and a student management portal for instructors.

USHPA will announce new online courses for all wing types, ratings, and skills as they become available.

BROUGHT TO YOU IN PARTNERSHIP WITH:

Summer 2023 provided great wind on the coast at t Mussel Rock, California. Here Brandon Savage was flying his 21m Gracchio below me on a day where we had higher than normal surf.

Photo by Bonita Hobson.

Crystal clear and sunlight readable hi-resolution display

Exceptional battery life at full brightness

Easy to use SeeYou Navigator software with seamless SeeYou Cloud integration

Fanet+ and OGN for online and offline hybrid tracking and buddy flying Wifi, Bluetooth and 4G/LTE connectivity