ST. PAUL, MINN — Some times hang gliding news comes from right around home. This is one of those times and the news involves BRS. ••• The rocket-deployed parachute maker has issued a recall on certain hang gliding units delivered between 7/89 and 9/90 (though not all models are affected). It seems an aluminum supplier sold the BRS rocket manu-facturer a bar of aluminum stock which was insufficiently hardened. They know which batch as the company provides certification documents helping the identification. Tests have shown that some motors made from bar stock covered by that invoice are okay. However, during a test demonstration at least one failed. You’ll want to contact your dealer. BRS sells almost exclusively to dealers so they don’t know who final owners are (unless their registration cards were returned). The company plans to test and replace suspect motors at no charge. One benefit, says BRS prez Joe Little, is that "owners whose rockets are replaced will get new ones with an extended six-year life.
Archives for February 2005
Product Lines – July 1991
St. Paul, MINN — Lots of deserving stuff came in for this month’s "Product Lines." While I’m delighted at the response to the column, I can’t use everything that arrives… not enough room. But keep sending your material; who knows? ••• As you know from the ads and editor Gil’s write up, Wills Wing has announced their new glider, the Super Sport. You’ll get all the poop from other sources. But I want to mention that WW has done a first with this release. All three sizes (143, 153, 163) were completely computer designed, flew "right out of the box," and are being submitted for HGMA certification at the same time! Quite a statement of engineering achievement. The Super Sport replaces the Sport AT. All three sizes are priced at $3,595 and have many AT features but no VG. Wills expects to be shipping end of July or so. Road Time ’91 so long distance guru, Larry Tudor, will be doing lots of XC on the ground as you read this.
Product Lines – June 1991
St. Paul, MINN — With this June issue of Hang Gliding, "Product Lines" enters its 13th year of continuous run, thanks to loyal readers and the many of you who have alerted me to news in our sport. Other columns have begun and eventually their authors retired, but this chatty column keeps flying. Yes, diver fans, there really is enough interesting hang gliding news to keep going for some 125 monthly columns (in the early days of "PL" in Whole Air, the column came out bimonthly). Thanks to all of you. Now, on with the show… ••• Aerotowing! It’s real and real fun, and before long, real obtainable. While ATOL and other suppliers like TLS have provided us with superlative platform towing hardware and the technology to tow to great heights and long distances, many like myself have felt that aerotowing was the superior way to launch. Except that it’s only superior if the tug is up to the special demand of towing hang gliders.
Product Lines – May 1991
ST. PAUL, MINN — Say diver fans, another World Meet is history and again we didn’t win. We have some of the best pilots, perhaps the best gear, yet the dang Brits beat us regularly. Ah well, you’ll read a full report elsewhere. In this column, we’ll look at what brands were flown by the world’s best pilots at the world’s top meet. Think you can guess? Try. Then read on… ••• Team USA was third, only 2.7% behind the leader (UK). Australia was almost 12% back (in 4th). The stackup of brands reflects something about the largest glider builders. Here we go: #1– Airwave (UK) at 23% of the field; #2– Wills (USA) at 16%; #3– a tie between La Mouette (France) and Moyes (Australia) at 11%. Thus the big four accounted for 61% of the gliders present. In #4– Enterprise (Australia) at 9%, coming on strong with their Foil; #5– Solar Wings (UK) at 6%; and rounding out those with at least 5% is #6– Firebird (Germany) at 5%.
Product Lines – April 1991
ST. PAUL, MINN — The competition season is upon us once again forming our top story in this edition of "Product Lines." The East Coast Hang Gliding Championships is being sponsored by Henson Gap’s Sequatchie Valley Soaring Supplies, the resident shop. The only significant (remaining) east coast contest has filled the void left by the disappearance of the Grandfather Master’s meet. The ECHGC will be the 3rd contest under this name and the 4th year for a world class meet at the popular Tennessee site. Now, it is the "only sanctioned cash purse meet," says contest director and organizer, Rick Jacob. "We’re expecting a minimum of $1,000 in cash, but more importantly, we’ll have numerous prizes with a cash value exceeding $3,000. It continues to grow from last year, when for example, Jim Zeiset won $250 worth of goods by hitting the spot at the end of one of the X-C tasks," added Jacob.
Product Lines – March 1991
ST. PAUL, MINN — Last month the big news focused on UP; this time look to WW (we all know who I mean). The reason? Wills held their first-ever paragliding seminar. Intended for dealers, the event drew well, including Morningside (NH) and Fly High (NY) from the east, five pilots from Japan, and the usual pros from the west coast (Windsports, Mission, HG Center, and Hang Flight, among several others). Total attendance was 35+ for the 10-day long event. The first days were basic training in flying paragliders, followed by an ICP and advanced canopy handling. The basic days were incredibly reminiscent of hang gliding 15 years back. Guys like Larry Tudor, Rob McKenzie, and Joe Greblo were seen jumping on the launch truck like it was their first day of flying, counting the number of flights they made in a day, and looking ever-so novice as they grappled with new wings and techniques.
Product Lines – February 1991
ST. PAUL, MINN — This month’s big news focuses on the UP company. As many of you readers are veterans of the sport, the history of UP is familiar. The illustrious SoCal builder has undergone several designers, managers, and owners. Each such change no doubt extracted a toll. As ’91 begins UP launches into yet another transformation. ••• To begin, the mysterious Terry Reynolds wing mentioned in December has now popped up… guess where? Yup! UP will be the builder of the newly named TRX. Check their ad in this issue. Reynolds will fly the TRX in the Australian Nats, then will join fellow ’91 World Team Member, Tony Barton, at the Brazilian Worlds. The TRX is a high aspect ratio wing (8:1) with contemporary span (36 ft) and planform (132¡ nose) that tips the scales very lightly (60 lbs) by using carbon fiber spars built in a $9 million shop.
Product Lines – January 1991
ST PAUL, MINN — Aloha! With his wife, Toni, Jerry Forburger completed his deal with airpark developer, Bill Fulton. The ATOL’ers have begun employment with Sport Aviation Hawaii and will begin by offering tandem intros to the islands’ millions of visitors. Tourists and students will get to soar some the smoothest lift in the world (“…after about 700 feet, lift seems to fill the whole valley.”), viewing spectacular scenery: incredibly steep green mountains, cascading waterfalls, and an uncommercialized tropical landscape. Few outsiders have ever set foot in the Kaaawa Valley ’til Fulton made his deal with the Kualoa Ranch family. Says Fulton, “We’ve had visits by several experts. Many think Sport Aviation could be one of the world’s largest schools.” To qualify for such a title, the business will count an expected 20,000 Japanese tourists a year flying on the world’s longest Hang Glider Simulator®. ||| Fulton orchestrated hang gliding participation in the Navy Hydrofest ’90, a fund raiser (needed after budget cuts) to help the Navy provide recreation for the thousands of sailors who regularly dock and restock at Pearl Harbor.
Product Lines – December1990
WASHINGTON D.C. — This month’s “Product Lines” comes from our nation’s capital at the occasion of the USHGA’s fall board of directors meeting. Other reports will relate the actions of the board. But at the gathering, two interesting and nascent product-related stories emerged. ||| No. 1 is confirmation by mainline hang gliding writer, Dennis Pagen, regarding his plans to pursue a longtime desire to design and build his own glider. A rumor that he would abandon his writing efforts (supposedly to focus on a new manufacture undertaking) proved to be baseless. He does plan to take preliminary steps toward a “limited production” of a new design. But “I’m not doing this as a income-earning venture,” says Pagen, “That’s not my present goal.” ||| No. 2 comes after lengthy prototype activities by World Team member, Terry Reynolds of Colorado. Employing exotic new airframe materials, you’ll want to read more on this exciting project next month, after additional tests.
Product Lines – November 1990
ST. PAUL, MINN — In announcing minor refinements on the Sensor E model, Seedwings begins to reveal their accord with the Austrian distributor now representing the brand in Europe. ||| First, the E model has control bar hardware which permits the glider to be laid down flat without disassembly of the wings. This has long been a requirement of the European pilot. Next, the Sensor has a speedbar, which they’ve subjected to 1,000 pounds without seeing deformation. It has only a 2.5 inch offset, reducing flex and allowing better in-bag storage. ||| Bob Trampenau’s design will now use streamlined down tubes offered by Finsterwalder, one of Europe’s up and coming manufacturers (who recently acquired the Charly company, a big manufacturer of safety and accessory products in Germany). Seedwings has enabled the airfoil downtubes to fit all models of the Sensor line. ||| While many pilots are attracted to the airfoil downtubes, some pilots raise a question.