ST. PAUL, MINN — Airshow season is here. About the same time we hang glider pilots are heading out to sites across the country to catch the big thermals of summer, millions of non-pilots (and pilots) will attend local-area airshows. They’re America’s second largest public spectator event after baseball, quite a statement in a country known around the globe for having countless choices of entertainment. At how many of those airshows will the millions see hang gliding? Darn few! ••• One man is changing that by succeeding as few before him have done. Dan Buchanan performs despite physical challenges (a vehicle accident if you don’t know Dan’s story). He was able to fly the main airshow at Oshkosh last year, no small feat since the Wisconsin convention is one of the world’s largest events with close to a million people attending. Some pilots have waited literally years to get in, that is, to volunteer to perform; no pay is offered.
Archives for February 2005
Product Lines – July 1996
ST. PAUL, MINN — About as you’re reading this, the "Umpteenth Annual 4th of July Festival of Foot Launched Flight" in Lakeview, Oregon is about to begin. If you live on the west coast you could read this and still attend, so, consider it a last minute invitation. • July 3-7 are the dates and they promise an interesting roster of activities. A cumulative cross country contest will award a $1,000 cash prize to the winning hang- or para-gliding pilot. Don’t want to hassle with cross country? Try their Trophy Dash, a timed race (Speed Gliding?) good for $100 to the winner. • Or, you can earn your aero tow rating, a mildly ironic sign of the times since the event calls itself "…Foot Launched." Hungry Joe Szalai and Bill Martke of Moyes will bring a Dragonfly tug and will offer aerotow training to pilots who want a break from running off the several mountain launches at Lakeview.
Product Lines – June 1996
ST. PAUL, MINN — As we circle into the soaring season, I have an eclectic group of topics. But first… ••• Like it or not, it appears some kind of FAA rule change is coming. Our reps to the ARAC group meeting with FAA are Dennis Pagen and Mike Meier, two solid individuals who will present our position well. It’s simply too early in the process to report what’s happening as the game could change following the response FAA requested of the ARAC industry group. Nonetheless, it appears certain that some changes are imminent. If more information is available by next month’s column I’ll provide more on this subject. Meanwhile, back at the grassroots… ••• I’m personally pleased (being financially involved with the project) to report that the Cumulus ultralight motorglider flew. Under development since 1993, the pace quickened in the last half of 1995 and the motorglider flew in March 1996.
Product Lines – May 1996
ST. PAUL, MINN. — This month is my review of the product-oriented aspects of the USHGA’s annual survey. Since it comes with the ballot, a high percentage are returned. Because of this Yoo-shga enjoys more reliability in its surveying than do most organizations. ••• The overall statistics haven’t have shifted much but a couple surprises do reveal themselves, notably increases in hang gliders flown (relative to paragliders anyway) and more women than ever flying. While more and more leaders are becoming convinced of the need to expand hang gliding, the commercial industry which serves present enthusiasts continues steadily with few changes. ••• One non-product item worthy of note. Our "maturing" sport has now crossed a benchmark line: The average age slipped quietly by the fortysomething figure, coming to rest for 1995 at 40.4, up half a year from last year. Fortunately, personal income also crept up, stopping at an average $51,295 per member.
Product Lines – April 1996
ST. PAUL, MINN. — Back home in frigid but thawing Minnesota after a temporary warmup in the Sunshine State last month. Halfway in between is a place virtually every hang glider pilot knows: Chattanooga. My former hometown, it was the birthplace of "Product Lines," but these days it’s best known for its major hang gliding enterprise — Lookout Mountain Flight Park, or simply LMFP. ••• Owner and boss, Matt Taber, though well known to most anyone in the sport, is something of an unsung hero. In recent memory surprisingly little has been written about the country’s biggest shop. LMFP is "biggest" by virtue of enrolling more students in the USHGA pilot proficiency program than any other school, a laudable achievement. The Lookout Mountain site is one of the country’s best known flying sites, visited by pilots from all over the USA and the world. You might also call it the biggest shop because Taber owns both launch and landing sites, to include a huge LZ where he is now building cabins for visiting pilots.
Product Lines – March 1996
ORLANDO, FLORIDA — Escaping Minnesota’s arctic winter for a few days of work in Florida, this column comes to you from the sunshine state where I got a glimpse of a new design in testing. It shows a distinctly American slant… on a new glider design trend that seems to to be showing strength in Europe. ••• What with winglets last year and internal ribs the year before — well, also ram scoops used by at least two builders before that idea lost momentum — the new notion of "toplessness" appears hot as a pistol. French giant La Mouette already has a glider called the Topless, and German leader Bautek has an entry in the topless sweepstakes named the Sunrise. These gliders have no upper rigging whatsoever. La Mouette is advertising "no kingpost and no compression strut." The Dijon, France-based company also boasts a four Gs negative load capability thanks to a carbon spar.
Product Lines – February 1996
ST. PAUL, MINN. — In another month or so, the soaring season will once again kick into high gear. At least, I hope it’s another good year with abundant thermals and perhaps a new record flight or two. It’s up to you, of course… you and you diver. Which brings me to an observation after reviewing the January issue of Hang Gliding. ••• Because I have flying interest that straddle several aircraft segments, I see about two dozen aviation magazines a month. I’ve been watching a trend in all of them, dating back into the early ’80s or even before. By my perception, aircraft manufacturer ads are steadily giving way to what I’ll call aftermarket ads. This is true in every aviation magazine I get and it looks like it’s happening in Hang Gliding, too. ••• "So what," you ask? Here’s what: if folks selling accessories items (instruments, helmets, parachutes, clothing and more) are buying more and more of the ad space while aircraft manufacturers are buying less, what does it tell you about the future?
Product Lines – January 1996
ST. PAUL, MINN. — Welcome to a new year! With the holidays behind us (whew!), you may have some gift cash burning a hole in your harness pocket. I have a few suggestions to help you unburden that pocket. But first… ••• The big news in the safety business is the unanticipated departure of Second Chantz, ballistic parachute maker and marketer of owner John Dunham’s A.I.R. rocket. Second Chantz succumbed to a legal system (with which we’re all-too familiar) that can create huge bills even when a company is unlikely to lose a case. The Reno outfit ceased taking orders on November 1st and will halt all service work January 31st. Too bad, Second Chantz was an innovator that we’ve now lost forever. I wish John well in his new endeavors, namely selling Air Création trikes. As it turns out, Dunham entered an agreement with BRS after closing Second Chantz, so fortunately he’ll still have input to ballistic systems for hang gliding.
Product Lines – December 1995
ST. PAUL, MINN. — Up here (too) near the arctic circle, it’s clear that winter is just ahead. It didn’t appear that way in Orlando, Florida at the end of October when You-shga’s board of directors got together for another of their twice-a-year meetings. In addition to the business of the association, many directors took flights at one of the two airparks near Orlando. For some of these leaders, the operations provided their first chance to see aero towing happening in an enthusiastic way. For others it was their first chance to be aerotowed. ••• The Quest Air bunch at Groveland Airport (just west of Orlando) hosted the Thursday night "Ice Breaker" party that forms the first assembly of the board. Many directors arrived early enough to tow from behind three Dragonfly tugs present. (One is operated by Quest Air, and the airport is the new home of Bobby Bailey’s Dragonfly building enterprise.) After sundown, Quest Air and friends put out a superb Mexican Buffet and served beverages in their newly remodeled clubhouse.
Product Lines – November 1995
ST. PAUL, MINN. — Taking a break from towing this month, we’re back to diving down hills. And I do mean diving, and I do mean down. As in fast. As in speed gliding. The first Official Speed Gliding Contest in Washoe Valley — near Carson City, Nevada — is history. • Speed Gliding: I think UK developer, Murray Rose, has encouraged a means of showcasing hang gliding which is one of the most exciting ideas to come along in years. Such a venue might help hang gliding earn an entry to the Olympics or another world-class event. I acknowledge that such vast media attention may not be an universally-desired objective. Many hang glider pilots may not want the growth that comes with promotion. Nonetheless, the activity is so promising that I’m tickled to see a speed gliding event held so we begin to learn how it all works. ••• According to Ray Leonard, "The racing was fun and exciting." The event took place at the Washoe State Park (at the foot of Slide and McClellan mountain launches).
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