ByDanJohnson.com

OSHKOSH, WISC. — Last month I was thrilled to report the Over Everest achievement
of Richard Meredith-Hardy and fellow pilot Angelo d’Arrigo. Since then,
I established contact with d’Arrigo for a story I prepared for Kitplanes magazine
(Nov. 2004).
After I investigated the project more thoroughly, I gained a clearer picture of
the enormous challenges. So| As we left our heroes last
month, Meredith-Hardy reported d’Arrigo was being bounced around after both aircraft
flew through some high altitude turbulence. No surprise, really. In thin air at 29,035
feet the hazards are real — even if you’re standing still. According to tug
pilot Meredith-Hardy, the “time of useful consciousness is less than one minute”
without oxygen. Only with rigorous training over long periods have some climbers
made the ascent without oxygen. The temperatures are colder than a cruel Minnesota
winter with the wind howling. During their final ascent climbers take one step, rest
for a full minute, then repeat| for hours. Keep that in
mind when you envision Angelo towing along over some of the most forbidding terrain
imaginable, wearing a large bottle of oxygen on his back and flying a glider festooned
with cameras and batteries. His landing will be faster than you’ve ever flown your
hang glider. Launching at 7:00 a.m. on May 24, 2004, d’Arrigo
began a flight that would set a new precedent for hang gliding worldwide. Here’s
a man who has already crossed the Sahara, the Mediterranean, and Siberia with his
hang glider. Now he’s also flown over Everest with his hang glider. Where
did YOU fly last weekend? Back to our Everest flight| Takeoff
was achieved at about 45 mph after a long run, says d’Arrigo. Following their climbing
cross country flight of many miles, d’Arrigo chronicled a key moment: “South of
Everest and close to the peak, we ran into a gigantic area of rotor turbulence, which
dragged the microlight violently downwards, projecting me upwards at the same time.
This caused the towrope to break at the safety link. “We
were at a height of about 9,000 meters, I was 500 meters south of Everest, about
150 meters over the peak. I released what was left of the towrope and headed for
the peak, flying over it soon after. Then the situation
became grave. Originally, d’Arrigo would have stayed on tow and planned a controlled
release for free flight over the summit. He and Richard could have maintained visual
contact with one another. However, the turbulence that upset the flight and broke
the tow line weak link left the trike pilot unable to see his aerial companion.
Richard writes, “I realized we had a line break. [But] with all my high-altitude
gear on I didn’t have much neck mobility so I couldn’t look back to see [Angelo]
and I didn’t see anything in the mirror. By the time I had circled round [his] white
[Icaro Stratos disappeared] against the vast white background of the upper Khumbu
Glacier. Vanished into thin air!” Now, miles from
his preferred LZ, d’Arrigo has been suddenly cut loose and had to fend for himself.
Neither could he locate Richard and the Pegasus trike.
His story continues: “I had identified ten possible emergency landing sites. I had
marked them all on a map, with their GPS coordinates.” Of these he eliminated several
as unworkable and focused on an Italian research station near the base of the final
Everest summit. Thanks to careful planning and nerves of steel developed in his earlier
exploits, d’Arrigo was able to make his emergency landing.
“When I had reached the right height, I started to prepare for the final approach.
When I was just a few meters from the ground, my speed was still 100 km/h.
It was important to use the wheels for landing because of the high speed caused by
the altitude along with the weight of the equipment (oxygen cylinder, thermal clothing,
three video cameras with recorders and batteries, two still cameras, survival materials,
etc.).” Angelo’s original idea was to tow aloft and then
release, subsequently soaring up on the powerful ascending currents blowing up the
north face of Everest. This proved impossible. Instead he chose to tow near the peak
of Everest, approaching from the south, then to glide over the summit after having
released the towrope. This would have better positioned him for landing and he and
his tow pilot could’ve kept each other in sight. The whole
story is available at their Web sites — a fascinating flight and human drama.
FMI: www.angelodarrigo.com or www.flymicro.com (Richard’s site). CONGRATULATIONS,
FELLOW PILOTS! JOB WELL DONE!
I struggled to decide which story was more important. FAA’s long-awaited release
of Sport Pilot/Light-Sport Aircraft is significant. Yup, at a press conference
on July 20th in the agency’s DC headquarters, FAA was finally able to say, “It’s
done!” SP/LSA is much less important to soaring flight
than to powered aviation. Yet it hits us big regarding towing — for which we have
a solution at hand* — and for two-place flying. Both have a major impact on hang
glider training. Whatever you think of the new regulation,
Part 103 will not be altered. All single place hang gliding and paragliding
will see no change so long as you mountain launch. The
*solution is that tow pilots will be able to fly legal Light-Sport Aircraft tugs
— once manufacturers state that they comply with ASTM certification standards —
but they’ll have to use a Private Pilot license or better. The Sport Pilot license
will NOT allow towing. Yet a Private can’t be paid to tow, unless FAA grants a limited
payment as acceptable. The agency is pondering this and invited key USHGAers to the
Oshkosh airshow to discuss it. Jane Depanfilis represented USHGA on the teleconference
FAA set up for their press event. This story is just starting so stay tuned for more
on the brave new world of SP/LSA.
So, got news or opinions? Send ’em to: 8 Dorset, St. Paul MN 55118. Messages or
fax to 651-450-0930. E-mail to Dan@ByDanJohnson.com. THANKS!

Compress Post ...

ST. PAUL, MINN. — Wow! Feel the chill! Am I nuts, talking about chill in August?
Even in my home state of Minnesota (just south of the Arctic), it’s summer and steamy
with mosquitoes the size of B-52s. However, the year-round conditions on top of Mount
Everest never get steamy| except maybe when a powered ultralight trike puts on an
airshow for hardy mountain climbers who made it to the world’s highest peak. This
news was first reported at the end of May by AvWeb.com, an Internet-only aviation
news outlet (bold emphasis is mine).
Headline: “MICROLIGHT CONQUERS EVEREST — So, what would you do if the turbo-intercooled
Rotax 914 engine powering your Pegasus Quantum trike, flying under a Pegasus
XL wing, was so hard to start that it flattened two batteries before finally catching?
Perhaps they were mildly hypoxic, but Angelo D’Arrigo and Richard Meredith-Hardy
chose to fly that engine (typically capable of 115 hp) over the world’s highest mountain
— towing a hang glider (a rigid-wing ATOS 2 from Icaro 2000) for good
measure. In Tibet on Sunday [May 24, 2004], microlight pilot Meredith-Hardy hauled
hang glider pilot D’Arrigo to the rarified air of Mount Everest and put on what must
have appeared to be the world’s highest air show for a group of climbers tackling
the peak through the more conventional method — on foot. But it’s a show that almost
didn’t get off the ground, according to Meredith-Hardy’s account of the adventure.
Weather is almost always the limiting factor on Everest but on Sunday the conditions
were as good as they ever get: clear skies and almost no wind. Meredith-Hardy said
the engine on the aircraft always starts on the first try but it wouldn’t catch on
Sunday. It wasn’t until repeated attempts almost killed the on-board battery that
they remembered that a plastic bag had been put over the air cleaner to keep dust
out. All those air-less aspirations had flooded the engine and it took a second battery
to get the engine going. …Extreme Low Temperatures And High Drama Once the
Rotax was running, it pulled the two aircraft up at a rate of about 450 fpm from
the 12,000-foot-high base camp. There was a lot of circling involved in getting up
to the height of Everest and enjoy the minus 40-degrees Centigrade temperatures.
At times, Meredith-Hardy noticed that D’Arrigo was being “bounced around” by turbulence.
As they approached the peak, the tow line broke and D’Arrigo was on his own.
Without the hang glider in tow, Meredith Hardy said the aircraft ‘shot up’ and he
did three fly-bys of the peak, before an audience of about six climbers standing
on the peak and four or five others inching up the final few feet. Meanwhile, D’Arrigo
was on an adventure of his own. He was supposed to make it back to the base camp
but instead ended up at a remote high-altitude scientific research station. He was
bruised from a rough landing (those higher high-altitude groundspeeds can be rough
on the legs) but was otherwise safe and awaiting a helicopter ride to the base camp
as of the last Web site posting.” If you want more detail, go to Meredith-Hardy’s
Web site at http://www.flymicro.com/everest/index.cfm
A little more down to Earth, USHGA Executive Director Jayne Depanfilis reports
from only a mile high (Colorado Springs) that in early June, “The USHGA’s towing
exemption has been renewed for two more years, through June 30, 2006.” That’s
certainly good news even while folks like Jayne, Bill Bryden, and Mike Meier work
at ASTM meetings to gain a more permanent foothold for towing of hang gliders (and
perhaps eventually paragliders). In a related note, Jayne adds, “It should be noted
that no towing-related fatalities were reported to USHGA during the current
exemption period. Therefore, no towing related fatalities were reported to FAA. This
is a good thing.” Additionally, Jayne reports, “The tandem
exemption expires October 31, 2004. I will be working on the request for the
renewal of this exemption soon. I will need to review and document any tandem fatalities
that may have occurred during the current exemption period.” Thanks to Jayne for
staying on top of these vital approvals from FAA.
Even lower but still on top of the mountain, New Yorker Greg Black reports
that he and his brother Charlie bought part of a mountain where he’s had a
launch for years? “It is done, signed, and now owned by the ‘Blacks’,” Greg reports.
He elaborates, “The launch area called “The North Knob”
is a 1,000 foot point that sticks out of the side of the Ellenville Mountain just
a quarter mile north of the “other” Ellenville launch site The launch site area is
about 10 acres and now has a 16 by 25 foot ramp facing WNW and because of the shape
of the ‘knob’ we will soon have launches facing NNE, and going all the way around
to West.” Greg also owns the landing area where
he has a flight park and training hill. The LZ is only seven acres but is surrounded
by about 50 acres of fields. “The whole piece we bought is 88 acres with a building
site that houses the trailer known locally as “the house thermal.” The trailer is
about 600 feet up the side of the Mountain and can be reached from the flight park
by way of the rail trail that actually borders the flight park. This trailer will
be used by the local hang gliding/paragliding club, called “NASA” as
its club house. Dues to fly and be a member are $60 per year.
Black further reports, “We now have all permits and approvals to erect our new 40
by 75 foot building with showers, toilets, and a 75 foot porch for getting out of
the sun and rain. A large pond has been dug next to the new camp area as well. FMI:
mtnwings@catskill.net or call (845) 647-3377.
Aircotec distributor Achim Hagemann now has the XC Trainer in stock.
Using the Top Navigator software (with free future updates), Achim reports, “The
instrument has created quite a buzz in Europe because of its size, weight, and performance.
It is the smallest and newest GPS flight instrument design on the market.”
An interesting and convenient feature involves a battery that can be recharged like
a cell phone using current from 110-240 volts. “No extra charger is required,” says
Hagemann. For 2004, he says the glide calculator is new, as is final glide calculator,
auto switching from map mode to thermaling mode, and adjustable vario sensitivity,
metric/English measurement switch, and a special intro price of $799. Look
over the English language manual at aircotec.net. FMI: aircotec@yahoo.com
Interested
in some other fun reading? You might enjoy a humorous — but genuine — comparison
of an F-15D Tomcat and a Wills Wing AT 125 paraglider by Stuart Broce, who flies
both. You can’t get much further apart on the aviation spectrum. Go to http://www.flyaboveall.com/willswing_grumman.htm
for the story.
So, got news or opinions? Send ’em to: 8 Dorset, St. Paul MN 55118. Messages or fax
to 651-450-0930. E-mail to Dan@ByDanJohnson.com. THANKS!

Compress Post ...

CENTRAL FLORIDA–
At the start of the big Sun ‘n Fun airshow, I had the pleasure to fly John
Dunham’s American Tug built for him by ultralight producer, M Squared
of Alabama. This design resembles the popular Quicksilver ultralights that evolved
from the original hang glider of the late 1970s. Beefed up for the hard duty that
is aero towing, the M Squared entry is a robust ultralight that should be capable
of steady operation as a tractor of the air. American Tug is a single-place aircraft
employing a 32-foot span, high-lift, slow-flying, single-surface, strut-braced wing.
While Dragonfly has been the lone fixed-wing tug in the USA, flight parks and clubs
now have another choice. And, importantly, the American Tug — as opposed to the
“Australian tug,” John says — costs substantially less. A basic Rotax 582-powered
tug should sell for about $20,000 says John. The American
Tug I flew, with a custom-configured 680 cc Rotax engine rated at 100 hp, demonstrated
an acceptable climb rate while towing plus excellent low speed controllability. Stall
in the American Tug is very slow, with a tow speed range of 25 to 40 mph, depending
on the individual tow requirement. John is able to tow hang gliders at speeds
below 30 mph or up into the 30s for blade wings, rigid wings, or ultralight sailplanes
like the Steve Arndt’s Magic Dragon. Though he’s still refining the aircraft for
production that should start in a few more weeks, John’s American Tug appears ready
to start duty at flight parks. Additional hardware added aft of the tail now spreads
the tow forces vertically much like the Dragonfly. And, since it is a tricycle-gear
aircraft, some experienced tow pilots see an advantage over the taildragger Dragonfly
in the event the towed hang glider pilot rises too high on takeoff. The nosewheel
on the American Tug can wheelbarrow without digging in.
John was working at Wallaby Ranch after Sun ‘n Fun, learning the right techniques
and being receptive to feedback from pilots and other tug pilots. He also performed
at Quest and planned to visit the Florida Ridge towpark in the south
of the state. An experienced aviation businessman, Dunham is doing this right, in
my opinion, collecting information and making changes as needed to perfectly suit
the American Tug to the marketplace. It’s been too long since I towed, but that changed
with a nice evening flight behind the American Tug. We climbed easily at over 600
fpm, a rate John was also able to achieve with a tandem load behind. I experimented
with various tow positions behind the American Tug. The new tug is not particular
about position, proving the V-bridle system John and M Squared devised. Putting the
tugs wings, rather than wheels, on the horizon appeared to be the optimal position
for best climb and overall controllability. FMI: 987-6545-3210 (cell, while
John travels).
Having mentioned the Magic Dragon above, let me tell you a little more about
this rare ultralight sailplane. Even with its custom-designed ballistic parachute,
the Magic Dragon qualifies as a legitimate Part 103 ultralight vehicle just like
any solo hang glider or paraglider. Empty weight is 179 pounds; the 155 pounds allowed
under Part 103 plus a 24-pound allowance for the emergency airframe ‘chute.
However, Magic Dragon is in a performance class all of its own. Arndt reports glide
is an impressive 27:1. Sink rate, perhaps an even more important determinant
of soaring performance is a rather amazing 97 fpm calculated, though Steve says actual
practice is about 115 fpm “circling sink rate.” On a day when flex
wings and rigids got periodically flushed by light, sporadic lift, Steve managed
a 4-hour flight and traveled 30 miles north to Quest and still returned to Wallaby
before evening calm shut down the thermals. Arndt has logged over 480 hours in his
special Magic Dragon. Steve is aware of four or five other
Carbon Dragons, but believe none of the others are currently airworthy. He’d like
more pilots to tackle the few-hundred-hour build job as the design shows great promise.
FMI: hanglyder@comcast.net.
EAA’s world-class museum in Oshkosh WI, is visited by folks all over the world
(especially during AirVenture, the organization’s huge airshow event. Just opened
on May 15th was a new section of the museum called KidVenture (a spinoff of
the AirVenture show). This gallery in the museum will have several hands-on flying
simulators, including hot air balloon, helicopter, radio control model, and| surprise,
a hang glider. The latter caught me off guard as I didn’t think EAA had any
real interest in hang gliding nor any expertise to offer.
The system they are building uses three large screen TV arrayed in an arc in front
of a pristine Delta Wing 6 single surface glider with a swing seat (much easier for
visitors to get in and out). An inverted joystick controller about the pilot receives
input from the weight shifting and reflects this on the screens. A similar system,
albeit with a prone harness, was seen at the Ontario, California Air Sports Expo.
The effect of flight was uncanny, at least once you started focusing on those three
big TVs and not on the folks walking around. EAA’s museum manager, Adam Smith, should
be congratulated for making hang gliding a part of this new permanent gallery
for kids interested in aviation.
In closing, I am extremely happy (and relieved) to announce that my long-in-development
Web site is finally live. Hang glider and paraglider pilots may be
most interested in the Hang Gliding section (click the button tab). While I’m asking
you to pay a small fee to read pilot reports — to cover some of the cost of building
the Web site and making it available 24×7 — you are welcome to read previous
“Product Lines” columns free of charge; even the basic free registration is not
required. At launch, the site offers all columns from January, 2000 to the present
(with a 90-day waiting period to assure HG&PG is never scooped by this
archival Web site). Though I’ve made you wait far too long, I hope you’ll come visit.
Those interested in trikes or other powered ultralights will find many pilot reports
I Published in Hang Gliding Magazineseveral magazines. Membership is only $29 — you then get over a dozen
pilot reports for free — or you can register for free and just pay for the articles
you want. Membership earns a lower price per pilot report and allows access to several
other unique features of the site. Please have a look at www.ByDanJohnson.com
So, got
news or opinions? Send ’em to: 8 Dorset, St. Paul MN 55118. Messages or fax to 651-450-0930.
E-mail to Dan@ByDanJohnson.com. THANKS!

Compress Post ...

ST. PAUL, MINN. — Time is growing short! Perhaps by the time you read this, FAA
may have issued their new rule called Sport Pilot/Light-Sport Aircraft
(SP/LSA). Why should you care? Well, perhaps you don’t.
If you fly solo in your hang glider or paraglider and are not towed aloft by a tug
of some kind, you may continue to operate under F.A.R. Part 103 as blissfully as
ever. However, if you’re one of the many who enjoy aerotow launches, you may be impacted
by this rule. The good news is| the trio of Jayne
Depanfilis, Mike Meier, and Bill Bryden have been pursuing actions on the new rule
and have the matter quite well in hand. The issues of two-place flying have been
addressed and face few obstacles. Aerotowing, however, is less certain.
Operations such as Lookout Mountain Flight Park have been fighting local battles
with adversaries who brought FAA into the picture. Solving this problem may take
more time to resolve. Fortunately, at least in a somewhat longer term, good news
also exists. I recently had a conversation with Bill
Bryden on this subject. Bill has been front and center, with Jayne and Mike,
in negotiations with key FAA people and the ASTM standards-writing process
that is at the heart of the aircraft side of the new rule. (Sport Pilot refers
to pilot licensing which is being handled solely by FAA. Light-Sport Aircraft certification
is being handled by a group of industry leaders under FAA’s watchful eye. ASTM is
the organizing body helping industry create “consensus standards” for certifying
aircraft of many kinds — fixed wing aircraft, weight shift, powered parachutes,
sailplane-type gliders, lighter-than-air craft, and gyroplanes.)
Bryden addressed concerns that towing is in jeopardy. Facts on the matter take two
directions. Effort has stalled on a plan hatched with key FAA person Sue Gardener
to issue an altered exemption to allow aircraft like the Dragonfly to keep flying.
USHGA’s current exemption for aerotowing specifies only a Part 103 ultralight, that
is, one which weighs no more than 254 pounds empty. That, regretfully, does not include
the Dragonfly. However, while that effort has slipped into unknown territory,
the long term view is encouraging. Though SP/LSA was originally released as
an NPRM with towing specifically excluded, discussions and plenty of public comment
brought about change in FAA’s thinking. Therefore, ASTM groups writing standards
for fixed wing aircraft and trikes added tow equipment standards. (The chair of
the fixed wing group is Tom Peghiny, a longtime hang glider enthusiast whose company
makes a tow-capable ultralight.) Pilots of tugs will have to show a Private
License — the Sport Pilot license does not allow towing — but this should not sharply
limit the number of powerjocks who can fly these machines. So, except for a delay
during release and full implementation of the rule, aerotowing does not
look threatened, though this spring and summer may have some challenges.
After resigning from BRS parachutes late last year, I started doing marketing on
an independent basis. My newest client is EAA — the folks who put on that
giant airshow in Oshkosh, Wisconsin — and this may bring some benefits for the USHGA
and hang gliding and paragliding. EAA, with 170,000 members and therefore
some serious clout in Washington DC, might be tapped to assist USHGA with regulatory
issues. In fact, USHGA’s Executive Director, Jayne Depanfilis, and Regional
Director, Bill Bryden, have frequent contact with this leader of recreational aviation.
And now that I’m in EAA offices every other week, I may be able to further tighten
that relationship. In the meantime, I’ve discovered other connections to hang gliding
and paragliding.
Paul Hamilton, the hang gliding/paragliding video production czar, has convinced
the EAA to carry a selection of his tapes or DVDs. While he still offers plenty of
HG or PG videos, Paul has branched out into other aircraft. After doing so he says,
“It took me two years to finally get EAA to handle my products.” EAA has a large
merchandise operation so Paul’s sales should increase. He adds, “We just released
the www.sport-pilot-training.com web site to help pilots get going.” But while Paul’s
Adventure Productions company has entered the powered aircraft arena, he remains
a free flight enthusiast. Here’s how he ended a recent note: “Keep up the pressure
on the manufacturers for nanotrikes, and get USHGA to support soaring trikes
with wheels!” Soaring will include such vehicles in the future, I think, and Paul
will be ready for them, too. FMI: dial (775) 747-0175 or visit www.pilot-resources.com
Speaking
of towing, work continues on Alan Chuculate’s Paratug, the powered aircraft
he’s building to aerotow paragliders. Alan wrote in mid-March to say, “We’re running
behind schedule as you probably guessed.” Alan’s essential talent, Floyd Fronius,
“has been delayed fabricating our custom light trike because his music career has
been blossoming with both local gigs and in the recording studio. The construction
has been steady but slow and we currently project completion later this month.” Despite
the tunes emanating from Floyd, Chuculate expects to be flight testing in April.
He promises, “I’ll keep you posted on the status of our flight testing.”
Although Paratug progress is temporarily slowed, a revised wing has been evaluated
for handing changes with a 550-pound load plus it’s been used for tandem hang
gliding with experienced pilots and novices. In the noisier end of Paratug’s
development, Alan writes, “We’ve abandoned the small engine approach.” While testing
with a loaner trike powered by a Kawasaki 340 cc, Chuculate’s team found only marginal
improvements when he tried different propellers. So he purchased an MZ 202 engine
that puts out 60 horsepower. Floyd started building a custom trike in March to accommodate
the bigger engine and prop. Alan’s only real competition
for the Paratug is Bobby Bailey’s Biplane Dragonfly. Chuculate once hoped
to meet the 254-pound weight limit to comply as an Part 103 ultralight but that idea
appears to be melting away with the switch to the more powerful engine. The irony
is that Paratug’s delayed development may dovetail nicely with the SP/LSA rule announcement
mentioned at the start of this column. If so, keeping the weight down may not be
the imperative it was at earlier stages of development.
So, got news or opinions? Send ’em to: 8 Dorset, St. Paul MN 55118. Messages or fax
to 651-450-0930. E-mail to News@ByDanJohnson.com or CumulusMan@aol.com. THANKS!

Compress Post ...

St. Paul, Minn. — You’ll probably be amazed to hear that Wallaby Ranch and Quest
have merged. Yes, unbelievably, the two rivals flight parks signed an agreement
to become as one. This stunning development comes just
after Wills Wing purchased Moyes “for a song” crooned WW president, Rob Kells.
“It seemed like a good idea at the time,” he added. How much more shocking news can
you withstand? Well, in keeping with a few fun items elsewhere in this magazine,
the above is pure April Fools fiction. I’ll leave more inventive humor to others
and return to what this column does best.
Amid all the excitement, I completely forgot to blow my own horn| Yup, with the February
2004 issue, “Product Lines” finished 25 years of continuous publishing. In
all that time, the column never missed an issue. As I am working to post all
these columns on my long-in-development Web site, someday you’ll be able to scan
through a lot of hang gliding history presented in a familiar format. Thanks to many
of you who have written to say you truly enjoy “Product Lines,” often making it one
of the first things you read (most folks say they “go to the back of the book” after
reviewing the cover and centerfold). But, enough about me|
The flight park billing itself as the “country’s oldest” was near a
sale as this issue went to press. On February 17th, founder Brad Kushner reported
that he and a buyer “reached an agreement on the sale of Raven Sky Sports,
Inc. and all associated property.” Brad indicated that the intention was to reopen
Raven on a target date of April 1st. (This is not an April Fools joke.)
However, the contract for sale was not completed as this issue went to press and
it is not certain that the sale will take place. I have spoken to Brad and the prospective
buyer and both expressed a positive attitude about the sale going forward. Each of
them sent announcements by email to a number of interested parties. However, even
slightly after the deadline for this issue, it could not be fully determined if Raven
Sky Sports will be open for the 2004 season. Regardless, Brad wished to express special
thanks to Terry Kramer and John Gamble, who worked behind the scenes
as liaisons between the prospective buyer and seller. Those who want an update may
contact Brad at (262) 473-8800 or 903-8800 or Brad@hanggliding.com
Even while Raven is currently closed for the winter, plans are underway. “We still
plan to hold the Seventh Annual Betty Pfeiffer Safety & Parachute Clinic,”
Brad said with only a couple weeks to go. It was scheduled for the March 13-14 weekend.
On a related note, Betty, owner of High Energy Sports,
made a couple of Midwestern trips. She and I spoke before the Illinois Ultralight
Safety Seminar which attracted over 400 participants. It’s powered ultralight stuff
but Betty’s knowledge is valuable to both groups. The ultralight folks heard her
speak on the subject of weather. One final note on this
arrangement. It turns out Raven will probably change names. An ultralight company,
run by a lawyer, has warned Brad that they own the name SkySports and he should
cease using it. Brad and his attorney think they might win the battle but legal fees
make fighting it a losing proposition. Ironically, the other outfit originally bought
the name from SkySports hang gliders. The Connecticut company behind the Kestrel
among other gliders, at one time with Tom Peghiny as its teen-aged designer, sold
the brand to previous owners of the ultralight company. SkySports is a mail-order
operation that no longer does any business with hang glider pilots. Nonetheless,
a name change is imminent and you could be the one who renames it. Brad said
that a pilot supplying the name the flight park will use in the future could win
a prize. Hopefully, I’ll have more on Raven Sky Sports next month.
Another new development involves a powered product leading to a hang glider product.
Ken Brown of Moyes America writes, “After the introduction of the Bug 2 Suprone Motor
Harness, a number of pilots expressed an interest in a non-motorized soaring
harness.” You get what you ask for in this case as Ken adds, “We now offer the Supine
Flyer.” The new harness is based on the powered unit design and incorporates
weight displacement of the pilot for prone-rigged gliders. “The Supine Flyer has
all the comfort and stability of the Bug 2 for those that want to foot launch or
tow up with a Suprone harness,” reports Brown. According
to developer FlyLight, the Bug 2 powered harness has evolved from the original
DoodleBug to provide even better touring and soaring performance. FlyLight reports,
“Stowage volume has been significantly increased to easily accommodate the essential
camping gear for real bivouac flying while the frontal area has been reduced for
improved aerodynamics and soaring ability.” Bug 2 sells for $5,895 including
electric start, prop brake and other accessories. FMI: sportwings@aol.com
or (530) 888-8622.
Still on suprone flying, I wish to report, somewhat late, that famed British hang
glider pilot, Colin Lark, succumbed to cancer last fall. While the UK copes
with the loss of a former “living legend,” his name came to me as he had been promoting
a suprone harness before his demise. This harness
style had a renaissance back in the 1980s but faded then as it had before. Now, however,
as hang glider pilots age, add power, and consider rigs like Michael Riggs’ Pod Racer,
the suprone concept may be getting a new burnish. The idea of sit-down flying was
pooh-poohed by many pilots who prefer the lean aerodynamics of superman-style prone
posture. Indeed, the overwhelming majority of pilots fly this way – at least if you
fail to count our paragliding brothers who fly seated. The Supine Flyer from Ken
Brown’s shop and other projects indicate this posture has not died along with Mr.
Lark.
Still on sit-down flying, Alan Chuculate’s SlowTow project continues. Alan,
you may recall from previous “Product Lines” columns, is developing a special trike
tug purposed with aerotowing of paragliders. While this has been done before, the
concept needed further development and Chuculate jumped into the fray. Next month,
I’ll have a further update on his efforts.
So, got news or opinions? Send ’em to: 8 Dorset, St. Paul MN 55118. Messages or fax
to 651-450-0930. E-mail to News@ByDanJohnson.com or CumulusMan@aol.com. THANKS!

Compress Post ...

ST. PAUL, MINN. — As I write this up here in the southern tundra, the wind howls
and the snow flies and the joy of hang gliding or paragliding seems quite distant.
Soon enough, though, the thaw will occur and life takes on a friendlier look that
invites soaring flight.
While huddled inside, I heard from Gerry Charlebois who told me the temperatures
in his native state of Hawaii: high of 86° and low of 72°. His invitation
to come fly Kauai sounds mighty inviting this time of year.
The real reason Gerry wrote was to report how his DVD production, Extreme Kauai,
is doing. His commercial venture is a means of interesting non-flying folks in
what the rest of us enjoy. Gerry wrote, “It has been 11 months since [Extreme
Kauai’s] release and four months since the main distributor for Hawaii picked
it up. It is now in 280 stores statewide, including Walmart, Kmart, Costco,
and Borders.” His DVD may well be the first flying-based production to go mainstream.
Gerry continues, “When I walk into my local Walmart and see a five foot tall rack
filled with DVDs of Extreme Kauai and people gathered around the TV playing
it on a loop, it is good feeling.” I’m sure this warms his heart given the time,
energy, and plenty of money that went into producing it. He thinks, “This should
expose many non-pilots to the beauty of our sport.” It has also helped Gerry
gain some recognition. “During a Christmas shopping trip,” he writes, “I joined a
group watching the TV, to listen in on comments. A shopper looked at me and exclaimed
to the other shoppers, ‘Hey, this is the guy that made this film. He was in the start
of it!’ The fellow grabbed a copy and wanted an autograph! It led to a bunch of folks
asking to have their copy signed. The rack of DVDs got emptied. It was pretty funny.”
Gerry may be high from that experience but he remains realistic, saying, “Now that
I am famous I noticed I can get a free cup of coffee if I have a dollar!” Again,
I congratulate Gerry on his production and hope that much more than a free cup of
coffee is offered to him. Along with others doing good work to popularize the sport
we love, Charlebois is making an impact. FMI: birds@birdsinparadise.com
Attending the Copperstate airshow in Arizona, I met a fellow named Mo Sheldon
who is involved with powered paragliding (PPG). Mo was exhibiting at the airshow
and had one of the nicest PPG trike carriages I’ve seen.
I’ve taken a few lessons on paragliders and find them enjoyable. I’ve never tried
PPGs because a take-off run with the equivalent of a passion-crazed gorilla clamped
to my back never thrilled me. I found flying and landing paragliders seems among
the easiest of any aircraft type. But the launch procedures need to be done right
and doing so with a power unit seems seems inadvisable given my aging legs that have
been known to stumble. I wouldn’t want such a misstep to come right before the moment
of lift off. However, a trike carriage with wheels to allow a rolling launch caught
my interest. Under the clever business name AirParaMo,
Sheldon sells Fly Products from Italy. That company specializes in PPGs, though
they also make a light trike for hang gliders, called the Trike Delta. As evidence
of their attention to light weights, the hang glider carriage reportedly tips the
scales at an impressive 53 pounds. AirParaMo didn’t have one of these but did have
a Flash trike. The wheeled chassis by itself weighs a modest 26 pounds. The power
unit used for foot-launched flight can be quickly pinned to the Flash trike and,
presto!, wheels for those not so sure of running launches. Since Flash can also be
set up for two occupants, it can be a training tool as well.
You can run or roll if you have a power unit sufficient to lift you and trike chassis
(plus a second person if you plan to conduct training). Mo demonstrated a quick attachment
of unmodified power unit to the carriage. Then, even in the heat of the Arizona desert,
the rolling Flash took under 150 feet to leave the ground with Mo flying solo. Landing
is skill-dependent, but should take half of a take-off roll.
Run by Enrico Vignini, a former instructor of 3,000 students, Fly Products started
in the early 1990s when paragliders began adding engines. In addition to the power
packages, the trikes for both HGs and PGs, plus all sorts of accessories, Fly Products
sells their own line of Voyager wings. You may want to check with AirParaMo and see
if they have something you’d like. FMI: info@Airparamo.com or 602-692-7995.
Finally
from AOPA’s ePilot of 12/21/03, here’s an interesting bit of 100th Anniversary
of Flight news from an organization you wouldn’t normally find talking about
gliders. AOPA, the Aircraft Owners & Pilots Association, is a 400,000+ member
group (largest in the world) that serves folks who fly around in Cessnas, Pipers,
and so on. Their news nearly always includes regulatory issues affecting their membership
(yeah, I know, a real yawner). But with the headline, “Glider Club Declares Day
of Mourning,” the AOPA eNews editors got my attention. Here’s what they say —
and unlike much of their news, this should warm the hearts of hang glider and paraglider
pilots: “The Adrian Soaring Club in Michigan observed a day of mourning on the anniversary
of powered flight. To them it was the day that Orville and Wilbur gave up gliding.
The club planned to make as many glider flights as possible and even invited club
members who also own those noisy newfangled contraptions to the event. ‘We invited
glider pilots everywhere to join us in reminding the public the Wright brothers did
a masterful job right up until that tiny little faux pas on December 17, 1903,’ according
to the club.”
So, got news or opinions? Send ’em to: 8 Dorset, St. Paul MN 55118. Messages or fax
to 651-450-0930. E-mail to News@ByDanJohnson.com or CumulusMan@aol.com. THANKS!

Compress Post ...

ST. PAUL, MINN. — Happy New Year, all!
Jon Szarek wrote to say, “I noticed that you lead off Product Lines
[in October 2004 with] a bit about the release of the Sport 2 135. We have
been looking for a medium to (low) high performance glider for my wife Toni
for the last two years. She only weighs 105 pounds and is 5’4″ so our options were
severely limited.” Jon and Toni looked at the Eagle, Ultra Sport 135, the small Sting
(118 sq. ft.), and the LaMouette Topless 121 sq. ft. “Simply put, there just wasn’t
a good glider for her to transition from her Falcon,” Jon continued.
Rob Kells and Steve Pearson kept telling them to be patient because
‘something’ would be coming. “When Rob came out for Demo
Days at the beginning of September Toni had a chance to demo,” says Jon. “She towed
up and spent two hours and 45 minutes darting all over the sky above Morningside.
She was ecstatic upon landing. Handling is good — though she takes 10 pounds of
ballast when the wind is over 7-10 mph — and foot launching is easy with the 60-inch
downtubes.” Wills is no doubt smiling, as they should be.
I’ve also heard good comments about Pura Vida Flying (“Pura Vida” means “Pure
Life”). The DVD flick stars top pilots Bo Hagewood, Kari Castle,
and Chris Muller and features original music. Marketed under their business
name Lone Palm Motion Pictures, all creative efforts were handled by GW Meadows
and his wife, Jan. In the production you travel to Costa Rica for three weeks of
hang gliding, paragliding, kitesurfing, and other adventures.
You can see a trailer of the movie on the JustFly.com Website. Enjoy!
Many years ago the rule in the American Baseball League was that that Yankees would
win and everybody else would fight it out for second place. The hang gliding analogy
of late is that Manfred Ruhmer would win and everybody else would do his or
her best to beat him — or at least learn from him. Well, aspiring contest winners,
2005 may be your year. The undisputed champion contest flyer is taking a year
off’to teach. He’s enjoying the experience of teaching folks that which comes
so naturally to him after 16 years of the comp circuit.
Talk About a Long Glide’ This official report makes for good aviation reading
and speaks to the value of being able operate a glider — even if it is a huge and
heavy one. The pilots of an Air Transat Airbus A330 glided to a landing in the Azores
after responding incorrectly to a fuel leak over the Atlantic Ocean, according to
the official report released recently. The pilots, reacting to what they thought
was a fuel imbalance, fed fuel into the leak, and soon succeeded in inadvertently
pumping all their fuel overboard, far from land. The report said the pilots acted
from memory rather than utilizing a checklist, so they never saw a “Caution” note
in the Fuel Imbalance checklist that might have caused them to consider that the
real problem was not an imbalance but a fuel leak. But
they saved the airplane… The investigators said that Captain Robert Pich’s
skill in conducting the subsequent engines-out dead-stick landing saved the lives
of the 306 passengers and crew on board. The glide began at 18,000 feet, lasted
19 minutes, and traversed 65 nautical miles. Bet they were glad to see that airfield!
As EAA
is my client these days, I keep an eye open for organization news of interest to
the soaring crowd. A new “Tribute to Ultralight Pioneers”
exhibit in the EAA AirVenture Museum highlights the three decades-old ultralight
movement. The exhibit will feature eight ultralights from
the EAA collection, including a Kiceniuk Icarus V from 1973 and Larry Mauro’s
Solar Riser (a solar-cell-powered Easy Riser biwing hang glider) along with a
series of pioneering powered ultralights. EAA’s world-class
museum will feature expanded information at visitors’ fingertips via an interactive
touch screen display. If you can’t go to Oshkosh, Wisconsin, the on-screen presentation
will be made available on the “virtual museum” at www.airventuremuseum.org.
In parting’Bill Bennett continued to attract news after his death in a trike
accident in October. No less a journal than the New York Times carried
a readable story by Douglas Martin. You can see the entire article at — www.nytimes.com/2004/11/17/sports/othersports/17bennett.html?oref=login&oref=login
(Registration but no payment is needed). ‘an excerpt follows.
“William Edward Norman Bennett was born in Korumburra, Australia, on Sept. 26, 1931.
He served in the Australian Royal Navy as a machinist, and afterward continued to
pursue activities related to water, in particular water-skiing. He was ranked eighth
in the world in barefoot water-skiing in the 1960s.” “Even
then, the path to hang gliding was being established. First, Francis Rogallo, working
with his wife, Gertrude, developed a ‘flexible kite’ for NASA to use for spacecraft
reentering the atmosphere.” “John Dickenson, an Australian
electronics technician, saw a picture of the Rogallo invention in a magazine, and
used it as the basis for making the first human-carrying gliders in 1963, according
to the Smithsonian. Mr. Bennett and his friend Bill Moyes, friends of Mr. Dickenson
through water-skiing, took up the sport; Mr. Moyes began making and selling hang
gliders in Australia, Mr. Bennett in California.” A worthy
written tribute, but personally, I’m still bummed that Bill couldn’t make the Moyes
Boyes Reunion at Wallaby near the end of October. Bill would’ve been in his glory,
telling tall tales and flashing his trademark grin after a joke.
So, got news or opinions? Send ’em to: 8 Dorset, St. Paul MN 55118. Messages or fax
to 651-450-0930. E-mail to Dan@ByDanJohnson.com. THANKS!

Compress Post ...

ST. PAUL, MINN., — As we head in winter and the holiday season, news for the next season appears to continue a focus on rigid wing hang gliders. Flexwings continue to do well in contest flying (and sales) but we simply aren’t hearing as much about new developments as we have in years past… for example, the topless buzz is now getting to be some years old. ••• U.S. Aeros is preparing for sale of their new rigid wing, ominously named the Stalker. It either sounds like a challenger trying to take on the leader (Exxtacy and ATOS, by almost any reckoning), or like a johnny-come-lately rigid wing design. Certainly for a company that has shown the ability to compete in the worldwide hang gliding community — for both sales, at which they’ve done excellently, and in competitions — Aeros is somewhat tardy bringing their stiffwing to market. • On the other hand, this is a second generation offering like the Ghostbuster and ATOS. Indeed, like another long-awaited-but-still-unavailable wing, the La Mouette Top Secret, Stalker has bare leading edges, that is, the sailcloth does not cover the leading edge. Instead the LEs are painted. • In another difference, instead of spoilerons, the Stalker has ailerons. Aeros isn’t first with this idea. In fact, before Laminar producer, Icaro, settled on working with ATOS, they had their own short-lived rigid wing called the Lumina which also employed ailerons versus spoilerons. Having a lot of experience myself with spoilerons (on the Cloud Dancer), I’ll wait to hear more about the effectiveness of ailerons on the Stalker. For the speed range we fly in, spoilerons are hard to beat for efficiency and they promote proverse yaw — as opposed to that kind we don’t like: adverse yaw. • In truth, one of the earliest uses of aileron control that I know of was by my old friend, Tim Morely, who installed a pilot-weight-shift-activated aileron control system on a Mitchell Wing back in early 1984. On that pioneering rigid wing, ailerons were said to be surprisingly effective, but of course a rigid wing with drag rudders is a somewhat different flying machine. Control of the Stalker is said to be very similar to the method of Morely’s Mitchell Wing. The ailerons are deployed when the pilot moves his or her body laterally. An internal control linkage moves a pushrod to activate the bell crank which moves the ailerons up and down." Whew! …sounds complicated compared to pure weight shift, but this is something like the way most aircraft do it. • The Stalker followed the second generation pattern of cutting weight; it is said to weigh only 77 pounds. Initial price is reportedly set at $7,995 but may rise to $8,500. At the latter number it is the same as the ’99 Exxtacy, not the undercut price which helped make the Stealth popular among topless flexxie pilots. In another second generation quality Stalker is similar… it won’t be available until around April of 2000, the same as is reported for the ATOS. Ghostbuster, which currently has a less-established market position, is available sooner and I have no updated info on availability of E-7 or Ixbo. Stalker web info at justfly.com. ••• In only the second appearance of an American design competing on the rigid front — along with Brightstar’s Millennium — Matt Kollman’s Raptor is flying in a second generation design. I’ve reported on the Raptor in past columns (’95 and ’97) but Matt is now said to be nearing production, something he’s working out with Jim Marske, a longtime designer and kit supplier of ultralight sailplanes (Monarch and Pioneer). • The Raptor 2 uses very strong carbon rods in the spar, which Kollman says allows the spar/D-cell combination to hold 16-G loads (not that this means the flying wing can accommodate such big numbers). Further accounting for strength are Kevlar skins on the D-cell. Matt believes that the Kevlar makes his leading edges more durable than carbon fiber. • Like Millennium (and Morely’s Mitchell), Raptor 2 uses moveable tip rudders, however, the tip rudders actuate when the pilot shifts the control bar, like the spoilerons on Exxtacy and ATOS. Instead of flaps like all the Euro designs, Raptor 2 uses spoilers (not spoilerons) to aid landing approaches. In concert with a tapered wing planform this allows landings in no-wind situations, claims Kollman. Matt writes that he’s close to deliveries and the first ones will go for $7,500. Working at a great distance from Southern California HG designers, pilots in his area say Matt has been "flying away from their production gliders for years." • The Raptor 2 has a 41-foot span, 162 squares, weighs 75 pounds, and boasts a glide of 18 at 35 mph and a 130 fpm sink rate. Info: 614-436-3230 or kollmancomp@msn.com. ••• Back on the flexxie front, Moyes is blowing their horn over the Lightspeed’s victories in the Brazilian Nationals. The Brazilian Nats was its first outing as a production glider though a prototype flew in the World Meet. Moyes’ new wing took first and second place and the winner flew a "completely standard Lightspeed which easily passed US certification," the company said. (I did not independently verify certification status.) Icaro put five Laminars in the top ten along with one each Fusion, Topless, and Stealth. Moyes further trumpeted that in the six-day contest, "A Lightspeed won 1,000 points every day of the comp!" Congratulations, Moyes. Info: Moyes.com.au or FlyaMoyes@aol.com. ••• If you act darn fast, you might get one of Lisa Tate’s new Soaring Dreams Catalog in time to order for Christmas. Her business offers unique HG and PG-related gift items and trophies. Lisa’s color catalog is available for free. Info: 208-376-7914 or ZooLisa@aol.com. ••• USHGA’s board recently met and a couple interesting things occurred. • In a repeat of last year’s meet selection drama, Malcolm Jones’ Wallaby Open narrowly won a bid for the time slot immediately following the big Sun ‘n Fun airshow. The event — which attracts over 600,000 pilots and visitors — brings more HG tugs into the area, a resource valued by a tow meet organizer. So, the 16-22 April contest will again be followed by GW Meadows’ meet at Quest. Info: Wallaby.com or justfly.com. • In the other news bit, David Glover was elected president of the association on a pro-growth platform. This oughta’ be interesting to watch. Congratulations, David, and best of luck! ••• So, got news or opinions? Send ’em to: 8 Dorset, St. Paul MN 55118. Messages or fax to 651-450-0930, or e-mail to CumulusMan@aol.com. THANKS!

Compress Post ...

ST. PAUL, MINN. — Airwave is back! Not long after I announced that the enterprise was for sale (June ’99 "PL"), a deal was done and former European Wills Wing distributor Markus Villinger is the owner. By now, the new Austrian base for Airwave Gliders should be running and shipping gliders. They plan to add paragliders to the mix once again, although like so many PG vendors, they will have the wings sewn elsewhere. • Villinger Birdmen Enterprises will start by marketing the Pulse and Fly 2 (known to Americans as the Double Vision). Villinger also reports they will offer the Skye, which he calls "the next generation skyfloater." Most credit Villinger with inspiring Wills Wing to market their then-new Falcon for use in skyfloating — and the recent 95 mile flight by David Glover using this posture proves it is viable for more than simply drifting around the launch site. As Markus puts it, his new Skye will be the glider that "brings the fun back to a lot of pilots." With that goal, I certainly wish him Good Luck! He finally reported that his newly expanded company will also work on a new high performance design. Info: fly@villinger.com or web: www.Airwave-Gliders.co.uk. ••• GW Meadows reported results from his Dinosaur meet. A surprisingly light turnout of pilots experienced the mildest weather of Meadows’ several meets in this location. Perhaps strong conditions in the past caused some competitors to pass up the contest. Nevertheless, results show several of America’s top pilots participated. Jim Lee continued his winning ways, taking first place in his Wills Fusion in flexwing class. And Dave Sharp took first in Class II flying his ATOS, distributed in the U.S. by Predator producer, Altair. • Among flex wing participants, the Aeros Stealth saw a great turnout, with seven (out of the 20 flexxies) participating. However, the top finishers were mostly other brands. After Lee’s Fusion honors came Mike Barber’s La Mouette Topless, Dustin Martin’s Moyes CSX, Steve Rewolinski’s Altair Predator, and Barry Bateman’s Moyes CSX. • Following the seven Stealths came the Predator with three flying plus another trio of Moyes models, and a pair each of Fusions, CSXs, and Laminars. The Topless was a loner. Among rigids the meet hosted a couple Exxtacies, an ATOS, and an E-7. Unfortunately, as the number of competitors was small, the survey of models used is too limited for other than curiosity. ••• As we continue debate about control bar wheels for contests and general use, and as drag ‘chutes remain a topic — also in pursuit of better landings in our high-performance gliders — a new idea arises from Norway. The Delta Dragger is an interesting variation on the drag ‘chute theme. Imagine a small vertical tail on a glider not unlike that used by Seedwings. Now imagine this surface being able to open laterally, unfolding as it were from the front and hinging on a vertical tube at the rear of this dorsal fin. It would set up quite a bit of drag I’d expect, just like a ‘chute. Except Delta Dragger can be retracted quite easily at which time it again acts like a tail fin, adding a measure of yaw stability to the wing. Seems like a nifty idea to me. The invention of Bjornar Ryeng (excellent English skills), Delta Dragger is now entering production. It is "produced in a solid plastic material and aluminum," Ryeng reports. Weighing less than two pounds, the drag device exposes "3.2 square feet of curved area facing the air flow," he adds. You must pull "no more than about 15 inches of rope" to get fully opened fins and you supposedly do not notice a difference in handling. Bjornar also says mounting takes five minutes when you get the Dragger and 20 seconds to fit during preflight assembly. You needn’t drill any holes in your glider’s tubing and Ryeng says it will fit "almost any glider." U.S. prices will be between $120 and $150 depending on initial production costs. Info: bryeng@online.co or see his website: www.infodist.no/delta. ••• Well, what did you expect? It’s getting near that season when everyone scrambles to buy gifts for the holidays, so naturally, "Product Lines" has a couple early entries. Two items caught my attention recently. • First is a neat flying toy that some of us adults may enjoy but which certainly makes an interesting (and inexpensive) gift for youngsters that tend to surround many of us during Christmas. Zing Wings are a simple foam gliders that fold up uniquely such that they take up little more space than a No. 10 business envelope. However, when launched vertically, they flip open James Bond-style, and glide freely. It always amazes me how well a piece of flat-as-a-board swept foam with its trailing edge bent upwards can fly. But it does. A child can shoot it aloft with a provided rubber band and launch stick. It’ll fly quite a distance depending on the prevalent wind (and thermal lift). And although the construction is ultra-simple, Zing Wings are quite durable… just don’t play fetch with your dog. At 2 for $5, 5 for $12, or 10 for $20 plus $3 S&H, Zing Wings are a fun bargain for all the little ones on your gift list. Span is 18 inches when open, but just like a real hang glider, it packs to about half-span. To buy: 360-802-2426 or timhuff@wans.net. • Item two is a beautifully crafted scale model hang glider "to hang in your car, office, or home," says designer Nancy J. Benoit. A designer of etched metal products, Nancy was "inspired by the countless hours I spent sitting in the fields at Morningside Flight Park watching my husband… run down the training hill with a hang glider." She adds, "I’ve noticed that there isn’t enough paraphernalia for hang glider pilots to buy… so here it is!" The sample I saw certainly shows the work of a professional and for $19.95 plus $3.95 S&H, it’s a good value. If nothing else, show this column to your spouse (or kids) and let them buy it for you. Available only in dark blue and lime green — plus bare gleaming metal — the piece is attractive enough to display proudly. Glider manufacturers are invited to inquire about ones with their logo printed on the wing. About 7 inches in span. To buy: 1-800-395-2832 or NJBmetalwork@usa.net. ••• So, got news or opinions? Send ’em to: 8 Dorset, St. Paul MN 55118. Messages or fax to 651-450-0930, or e-mail to CumulusMan@aol.com. THANKS!

Compress Post ...

ST. PAUL, MINN., — The 1999 World Championships are over, and ho-hum, Manfred Ruhmer won… again. I don’t mean to sound jaded by Manfred’s winning performance but it sure seems predictable. He is indeed the undisputed champion, although he did have to prove his ability; it was not a runaway victory. In hot pursuit were some of the same Brazilian experts that did well at Wallaby and the Quest U.S. Nats earlier this year. Of course, Ruhmer flew the Laminar ST (topless) that has been his choice for many contests. • Andre Wolf was 2nd in his Laminar ST followed by Pedro Matos on a Laminar ST, and in 5th, Gordon Riggs on another Laminar. Betino Schmidt managed to squeeze in a La Mouette Topless in 4th to keep the Icaro model from totally dominating flexwings at the ’99 Worlds. Richard Walbec and his Wills Wing Fusion represented the highest American brand in 6th place. • The U.S. Team was 9th overall, reports team member Jim Zeiset. Jim Lee finished 14th and Chris Arai was 24th as the top-placing Americans in Class I. ••• In the rigid class, Christof Kratzner took first on an ATOS, which overall dominated Class II as did the Laminar STs in Class I. Kratzner is provisionally the winner awaiting an appeal on photos from runner-up Johnny Carr, who came in 2nd in his European-built Swift. The two top guns were followed by Hansjoerg Trutman in 3rd on another ATOS, Dave Sharp in 4th on yet another, followed by Brian Porter in his modified-Millennium, the Utopia. The ATOS from Felix Ruhle’s new A.I.R. company took 7 of the top 10 places, a convincing follow up to early-season ATOS successes. Quite a few ATOS gliders were entered and factory support was available on site to aid their pilots which surely helped both physically and psychologically. • Team USA Rigid was 3rd overall, but of the first three team scores, it was observed that the Yankees were separated from the Swiss and German rigid teams by only 139 points — out of 10,000! Some 25 rigid pilots represented eight countries, a healthy turnout of Class II contestants. ••• The meet was regarded as one that, according to Zeiset, "started fairly slow but became quite grueling by the end." It enjoyed good safety but had a share of exciting moments. One was a parachute deployment as the meet ended. It seems that Guido Gehrmann was doing aerobatics in front of the main site of Monte Cucco. David Straub writes, "On his third loop his glider broke. The wires were attached up the down tubes a ways and he blew the down tubes out. He threw his ‘chute, then shot his other rocket-deployed ‘chute." He was OK. World Meet digital photographer and 1-800-Hang-Glide man, David Glover, thought the wires "were attached perhaps two-thirds of the way up the down tubes, in what I have to believe is a pretty modest — but risky — way to reduce drag. Some felt that Gehrmann learned a little about hang gliding structures that day. ••• From the Worlds came not one but two daily e-mail updates, one from Davis Straub, the OZ Report man, the other from Jim Zeiset. Between the two, wired pilots could keep up with the meet in an informative yet personable fashion. Competitions continue to garner good attention, despite the fact that less than 1% of USHGA members are involved with contest flying. While meet pilots probably attach undue significance to the events, it remains true that this kind of flying shows the recreational pilot majority what new designs are working well. • I’m hoping a full report follows this summary; certainly we have a good record of events thanks to the two e-mailers. ••• Back here at home, Mountain Wings operator Greg Black wrote an encouraging note saying, "I think hang gliding is back!" He goes on to say, "I have noticed that since I have been on the training hill myself, gliders are being sold and 90% of the intro students are signing up for the big training package… is it that we are attracting people with a lot of money? I sure am excited about whatever is happening. And it’s fun, too." He notes that his business has "lots of gifted students, lots of gliders sales, lots of excitement from the students which [helps] them bring in friends for lessons. It’s been… great!" This may be a local phenomenon by I’m pleased to hear it. Do other parts of the country feel this way? (Greg was reporting the late spring/early summer period.) ••• Videographer Paul Hamilton continues his prolific ways with a new production that schools, clubs, and growth-oriented USHGA members may want. "Starting Hang Gliding" is not a training video, although it has lots of basic information. I saw it instead as a promotional vehicle. It roves around the country to reveal scenes at several of the bigger flight schools. Paul and his wife have added interesting production values with some very nice animated graphics that show not only Paul’s ability with the video camera but also his computer. The 30-minute video was very watchable, I felt, and has good flying scenes that cut quickly one to another maintaining a good pace and never boring the viewer. Get more info at his web site: adventurep.com or call 775-747-0175. ••• The San Diego community hosted a party for Leroy Grannis and his wife Katie. She turned 80 and they’re celebrating their 60th wedding anniversary. Leroy — who shot some of the finest pictures ever in our sport — is also regarded as a legendary surfing photographer. "They are both doing well," says Brad Hall. "They’re still surfing almost every day!" Leroy is 82. Both are planning to make a showing at this year’s Telluride, Brad added. Congratulations Leroy and Katie! The active couple remains a fine example for "young" hang glider pilots. ••• In closing, I need to make a clarification. Ken Brown wrote to say that although he is indeed a rep’ for Flight Design’s Ghostbuster, this is only for the Southwest U.S. "I am still representing [French glider builder] Tecma in the USA. My support for the company and product is still high." His primary responsibilities are associated with the promotion and distribution of the Moyes product line. He adds, "I am stocking Dragonfly [tug] kits for immediate delivery as well as spares support." More info: FlyaMoyes@aol.com. ••• So, got news or opinions? Send ’em to: 8 Dorset, St. Paul MN 55118. Messages or fax to 651-450-0930, or e-mail to CumulusMan@aol.com. THANKS!

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ST. PAUL, MINN., — I don’t believe I’ve noted so much buzz about a harness since Wills Wing first introduced the Z1-2-3… series. Maybe the Woody Valley from Europe, but even that popular brand name never created what you’d call a "stir." ••• Regardless of the past, Jay Gianforte’s CG Carbon Harness has people talking (and writing in the case of Internet messages). Jay’s enterprise, called Center of Gravity, first became known nationally in 1984 with the C-G 1000 and 2000 models. He says "We have created the Carbon C-G with carbon graphite molded into a durable aerodynamic shape and glass smooth finish." Gianforte says 30% of the drag on a hang glider can be caused by the pilot, so his sleeker solution may boost your glide angle. Certainly Jim Lee’s futuristic hard-shell harness of year’s back had some of this advantage, but the harness was not widely available. Center of Gravity is clearly hoping to capitalize on that interest only they’ll do like the Dorito chip people… they’ll make more. • The most interesting feature is the inflatable chest cushion and shoulder pads which reportedly do wonders for the pilot comfort. For "stiffy" pilots, this may be considered a necessary accessory, since those wings can make even better use of a more streamlined pilot. With water, radio and oxygen in pockets under one arm and the parachute mounted under the other, the hard shell smoothness is preserved. • Bob Lowe of Colorado writes, "Very warm, balanced, functional, automatic tail-lifting feature for take-off and landing works amazingly well… Jay must have really spent a lot of time on this one." After sometime "beta" testing with an early Carbon C-G, he feels "it will quickly be a ‘must-have’ in the world of hybrids [and] toplesses. • Jay makes one point succinctly, "If removing the king post helps, think what this will do." According to web writer, Davis Straub, "Jim Lee ordered one." Impressive! Info: CGravity@dreamscape.com. ••• In mentioning Wallaby regarding the Open and Quest Air for the Nationals, I left out the other active towpark in central Florida. Gregg MacNamee runs Graybird AirSports and operates the Dunnellon Airport. Located 16 miles west of main north-south route I-75 on Highway 484, he offers hang gliding, paragliding, paramotor and ultralight flying. Flight training, sales, and service are available seven days a week. Greg writes, "This airport has 500+ acres square clear space, two paved runways 4,875 feet long, a disc golf course, bathroom with hot showers, store/office, and hangar space." Info: 352-489-9969 or fly@graybirdairsports.com ••• Up north in the greater Chicago area, the Hang Glide Chicago group (1 hr. west) or Surf Air (NW of Milwaukee) each expect to have two tugs operating, according to Steve Revelinski. But instead of working exclusively with the Dragonfly, this group is using a modified Kolb Aircraft tug based on an apt-sounding combination of two of that company’s models. Kolb is one of the most respected names in ultralight aviation and I’ve flown all their aircraft. They fly wonderfully but are slow enough that I can visualize them being great tugs when properly configured. Members of these operations, aided by Harold’s Flying Service (at the Leland, IL site), have refined an early Kolb into a machine the company can reportedly now supply. They believe it is more stable in rougher conditions than a Dragonfly. • Steve also related a fascinating story about Harold’s work on a DC-3 being modified so it can carry a dozen hang gliders! Back in early June it was in Indiana being refurbished. I’ll bet we hear more about that project. Info: 414-557-4041. ••• Out west, the Sierra Dragonfly Club has been operating most of this year at the Carson City Airport. Steve Lantz (the founder of Second Chantz parachutes) "has built some real nice hangars on the airport to store all of our flying toys," writes Ken Munn. Some extra hangars were also available, though those things can change quickly. If you fly Nevada you should check out the operation. Info via AirMunn@aol.com ••• The Mosquito power harness continues to make converts from those who wouldn’t have anything to do with power. One tale I was told, about a pilot who powered all the way to 14,000 feet on the gallon and a half fuel tank, makes the case pretty convincingly. Even if that story may stretch reality, the fact remains that some pilots who don’t live near mountains — and that means lots of Yankee pilots — yearn for the ability to gain altitude for soaring. To some pilots, powering up and then shutting down is easier than towing which requires expert assistance. According to importer Bill Fifer, North American sales are past 50 units by now, at $4,700 a copy. Pilots compliment the relatively quiet and efficient operation, quick assembly, and general ease of use. Info: 616-922-2844. ••• In closing I have to tell you that my "day job" at BRS was exciting recently, after the JFK Jr. thing preempted every other news item in the country. Our company’s rocket-deployed parachute system for the Cirrus SR20 4-seater aircraft was shown on numerous national television broadcasts for three days running. It nearly swamped the company with phone calls and the value of BRS stock shot up 175% on volume four times heavier than any prior single day. With remarkable timing, Cirrus finally delivered SR20 #1 to its first customer right in the middle of this Kennedy event. • John also flew a powered parachute ultralight and visited the BRS Oshkosh airshow booth two years ago. While lamenting the loss of a fellow sport aviator, BRS found itself in the spotlight of national attention. ••• So, got news or opinions? Send ’em to: 8 Dorset, St. Paul MN 55118. Messages or fax to 651-450-0930, or e-mail to CumulusMan@aol.com. THANKS!

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