HowTo: Hang Gliding

Tuning your glider - comments by Aaron Swepston

feeds@yuku.com (Ernie Camacho) — Sun, 08 Feb 2009 10:45:16 GMT

Aaron Swepston has been a top-level comp pilot for years, specializing in aerobatics and speed gliding. He's flown lots of different gliders and knows a thing or two about tuning them. Here are some comments he posted to the HG email list:

glider tuning education materials
Posted by: "Tontar"
Date: Sat Feb 7, 2009 11:15 pm ((PST))

Eccentric rings, as in the eccentrics in the leading edges of the Moyes
gliders, can be used to tune...

beginner vs intermediate hang glider

feeds@yuku.com (aquilo2) — Sat, 16 Feb 2008 15:47:43 GMT

I am looking to purchase my first hang glider. I have only a beginner rating. I have been looking at what is for sale out there and I found something that I like, but it is an intermediate glider. Can you please describe what I will find different between a beginner glider and an intermediate. Specifically the WW Falcon 3 vs the WW Sport 2.

Intermediate Syndrome

feeds@yuku.com (Ernie Camacho) — Thu, 07 Feb 2008 08:46:39 GMT

Hey,

Just curious. How many of you out there went through "Intermediate
Syndrome" (I am strong, I'm invincible, I am superman!) and either got
injured or in a bad situation (there I was and I thought I was gonna
die) or had someone tell you that you are advancing too quickly, etc.
How did you deal with it? I went through it myself and paid for my
arrogance/bravado with a crash which knocked me out, tore my lip and
broke some teeth (Ollie...

Ole's flying stories

feeds@yuku.com (Ernie Camacho) — Tue, 20 Nov 2007 09:26:17 GMT

Ole Olson has been flying for years. And over those years he's had more than his share of adventures. Luckily for us, he has a knack of writing about those adventures in a captivating style.

Here's a few that he has posted to the Hang Glilding list. There are more stories that you can read. Here's a link:
John 'Ole' Olson
Author of: Tales From the Wild Blue Yonder
eBooks at stores.lulu.com/WildBlueYonder
3076398CFI
www.LearnToFlyTrikes.com
Amigos Del Cielo Airpark...

Why do I Hang Glide?

feeds@yuku.com (Ernie Camacho) — Tue, 20 Nov 2007 09:04:59 GMT

[Hang Gliding] Why I became so interested, so suddenly.
Posted by: "John"
Date: Mon Nov 19, 2007 9:03 am ((PST))

John Morse, trainee pilot

11-19-2007

Hello all,

Why hang gliding? Numerous persons have asked me how and why I so
suddenly became so interested in hang gliding. After all, that sport
is [superficially] very different from my long-established, well-known
...

landing pointers

feeds@yuku.com (Ernie Camacho) — Sun, 04 Nov 2007 08:53:29 GMT

4b. Re: my first flights set for 11/3 in Cooperstown NY
Posted by: "Terry Ryan" compwr@sympatico.ca flydownone
Date: Thu Nov 1, 2007 8:26 pm ((PDT))

At 06:48 PM 01/11/2007, John wrote:
>.................
>What am I most afraid of...? Probably judging actual wind speed and
>direction from second to second, and knowing when I am at the right height
>from ground for well-timed flare (or brief running landing if instructed).
>I want to...

Not hooked in - how to prevent it

feeds@yuku.com (Ernie Camacho) — Tue, 25 Sep 2007 07:06:44 GMT

This conversation is from the Skysailinttowing@yahoogroups.com email list.
=============================================

1a. Hook in failure
Posted by: "Larry West"
Date: Mon Sep 24, 2007 8:08 am ((PDT))

I had an advanced pilot doing his second tow of the day on Saturday.
I was driving and I called back on the radio: "tension set, waiting
for pilot call to go".
I didn't hear anything and saw a lot of activity behind me,...

HG: Slope launches

feeds@yuku.com (Ernie Camacho) — Sun, 08 Apr 2007 07:17:37 GMT

1b. ON Topic ... Slope Launch
Posted by: "Tontar" tontar@comcast.net tontar2001
Date: Sat Apr 7, 2007 5:43 am ((PDT))

> one of my launches was not
> very pretty. I really had to ground skim to gain flying speed. I think it
> was just a wind gust problem but in analysing it later over a beer another
> pilot suggested the following technique.
> He said that, for a mountain slope launch with gentle wind, one should
> lift the glider...

HG&PG: how it all started

feeds@yuku.com (Ernie Camacho) — Sat, 27 Jan 2007 10:02:35 GMT

A WOULD-BE AVIATOR WHO COULDN'T GET A PILOT'S LICENSE INVENTED HANG-
GLIDING INSTEAD

BY ROBERT ZIMMERMAN

FRANCIS ROGALLO WANTED TO FLY, AND LIFE'S FATEFUL twists prevented
him from flying in the ordinary way, so he discovered a new manner of
flight, one so revolutionary and simple that today more than a
million people have tried it. And they have done so without runways,
airframes, or big, powerful engines, flying instead by actually
attaching wings to...

Why should I take lessons?

feeds@yuku.com (Ernie Camacho) — Sun, 07 Jan 2007 10:58:06 GMT

If you're thinking of flying, and you're wondering if it is worth while to spend the money for professional instruction, watch what this enterprising fellow did to get himself airborne on the cheap.

Bottom line: it's not worth it. Get the instruction, already!

Radio: rules for teaching with radios

feeds@yuku.com (Ernie Camacho) — Tue, 19 Dec 2006 12:09:03 GMT

4b. Radios and training
Posted by: "Dave Broyles"
Date: Mon Dec 18, 2006 6:41 pm ((PST))

The USHPA does not have a policy about the use of radios in training.

Personally as an instructor, I use radios for training. I have a few
guidelines.

1. Never use a radio as a primary safety device. They have too
many failure modes. If the radio fails, for whatever reason, it is important
that the student know what his task is,...

When am I ready to fly alone?

feeds@yuku.com (Ernie Camacho) — Sun, 24 Sep 2006 09:49:39 GMT

2a. When am I ready to fly alone?
Posted by: "inumbskul"
Date: Fri Sep 22, 2006 9:07 pm (PDT)

I am planning to fulfill a lifelong dream to fly a hang glider in
Summer 2007. While I have read the requirements for the different
pilot ratings, I do not know what rating I would need to show up at a
launch site and fly from it.

I am planning on devoting a full week, that summer, to getting as much
instruction and experience as I can. At what...

Advanced landing techniques

feeds@yuku.com (Ernie Camacho) — Mon, 07 Aug 2006 16:29:53 GMT

Advanced Landing Techniques
Posted by: "Clive Belbin"
Date: Fri Jul 28, 2006 3:35 pm (PDT)

Here's a flying topic!

When you go to hang gliding school they teach you to land into wind in the designated area
and that's pretty much it as far as landing tuition goes (in the UK at least!). "Advanced"
landing techniques get mentioned but you don't get any real experience of using them.

So far in my flying career several advanced landing...

HG: My best thermal

feeds@yuku.com (Ernie Camacho) — Tue, 20 Jun 2006 09:17:34 GMT

________________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________

3a. Re: Rigid vs Flacid
Posted by: "Vince Endter" vince@flyatos.com n4nv
Date: Mon Jun 19, 2006 3:45 pm (PDT)

I been in 2,000+ fpm up twice, (once in the Owens and once at King) and
both times it was a relatively smooth ride, but I was on rigid. A flex
wing might have had a much rougher ride. I have...

HG: comparison of Rigid vs. Flex wing

feeds@yuku.com (Ernie Camacho) — Sun, 18 Jun 2006 06:50:41 GMT

Rigid Weight and Cost
Posted by: "Wayne Hobbs"
Date: Sat Jun 17, 2006

Since I've been known to enjoy beating dead horses and this is one
of those that won't seem to stay dead I'll throw my thoughts into
this well used rubbage heap and beat him some more!

Like so many others I began my flying career in the mid 70's by
building my own first rogallo and then proceeding to teach myself
how to fly with my only other interaction with the sport...

strength training - relaxing in flight

feeds@yuku.com (Ernie Camacho) — Mon, 09 Jan 2006 18:22:34 GMT

Date: Sun, 8 Jan 2006 16:45:15 -0700
From: "red"
Subject: RE: strength training suggestions

>Anyone have suggestions for functional strength-building
> exercises for hang gliding (beyond the obvious, get my scrawny butt
> into the gym more often)?

Quit the job, just go flying full-time... :-) Well, seriously,
the muscles used for flying are a unique set, so a gym may not be the
one best answer, anyway. When I worked at a HG shop,...

What glider size?

feeds@yuku.com (Ernie Camacho) — Fri, 04 Nov 2005 12:53:13 GMT

Date: Thu, 03 Nov 2005 10:39:27 -0800 (PST)
From: Peter Lawrence
Subject: re: how big is too big

> In general, how would a flex wing (155 Sport 2) behave while thermaling
> if I am near its lower limit of hook-in weight?
>
> Does it react slower to input or requires more strength?
> Harder to correct during turbulence?
> What happens to its flare window? Will it tend to drop a wing?
> Would aerotowing be more difficult?
>...

Wind Gradient on landing

feeds@yuku.com (Ernie Camacho) — Mon, 15 Mar 2004 09:05:09 GMT

Date: Mon, 15 Mar 2004 05:03:38 -0700
From: red
Subject: Re: New Harness (serious consideration)

Ed,
There is another danger to add, to the issue of slow approaches - Wind
Gradient.
Water flowing in a river travels fast in mid-stream. Near the middle, it
goes almost as fast. Near the banks, the water flow is slower. In
shallower water, it may be much slower. At the water's edge, it may not
flow at all, or the flow may even reverse direction (a...

Flying story - Cloud Suck

feeds@yuku.com (Ernie Camacho) — Mon, 09 Feb 2004 09:04:46 GMT

Date: Sun, 8 Feb 2004 15:03:02 EST
From: aspenglide-at-aol.com
Subject: Cloud Suck From Hell- Story

The following is the true account of an old flight from my log book.
The day dawned crisp and clear, cold inside my cabin at the base of
the mountain but a look outside reveiled that the frost was already melting
between the shadowes of the pines. The forcast was high pressure, light and
variable with 10 mph+ above 18,000 from the west, no...

Flying Story: Tandem in the old days

feeds@yuku.com (Ernie Camacho) — Tue, 02 Dec 2003 17:11:49 GMT

Date: Tue, 02 Dec 2003 07:01:20 -0000
From: "thermaleo"
Subject: Tandem flying.

All this stuff about tandem flying in Northern California got me
thinking about my first tandem flight, way back in the last century.

I had got my first rating back in September. Fifteen solo flights in
a standard with a swing seat, the highest being a single flight 300
ft top to bottom - and you were good to go. I was a PILOT!

Now...