WOW. Perfect area to do that. Very dramatic even on an overcast day. He's up quite high. Yikes, I never got more than 30-40 feet AGL way back when I had my 16' Eipperformance rogallo kite. Bought a well-used trainer with my paper route money from an auction at Kitty Hawk Kites in my formative years.
Bought a well-used trainer with my paper route money from an auction at Kitty Hawk Kites in my formative years.
My brother had saved up money for a motorcycle but once my mother found out the purpose of the saved money she forbid he purchase one. She hadn't forbade purchasing a hang glider.
I decided not to take my turn at the bar after my brother crushed four vertebrae using the trial and error approach to learning to hang glide.
Just like sailing, I feel safer the further away from land I am. I was up to 8,700' a couple weeks ago, flew 26 miles that day in my new U2. Max climb was 1,400 fpm. There's nothing quite like it.
@Propability: They're still flying at Dockweiler, I bike past there almost every day. There's a semi-permanent HG school there that operates out of a shipping container in the Hyperion parking lot.
@Rich: WRT Altitude, you take what you can get with a 4:1 glide ratio.
Rich, what's your perspective on flying powered paragliders - the kind where you strap a 2-stroke engine to your back? They look quite noisy but seem to be a fantastic way to get into the air safely.
I own a paraglider and just over a decade ago I flew it briefly under electric power. Note that you can now purchase an electric power unit where the seller/designer claims to be the first to fly electric. So I am not against paragliders.
The biggest problem with paragliders is the perception that they are safer. Flown in calm conditions they are pretty safe, and the learning curve is slight compared to hang gliders. But, the more interesting the conditions get, the less safe they become. They have a tendency to collapse in turbulence, sometimes at the most inconvenient times. We just lost a very experienced instructor in Chelan last week due to a collapse right after launching. And three weeks ago I witnessed a paraglider pilot descending on his reserve parachute after his wing collapsed, he was okay. Shortly before that in Oregon there were several deployments in one weeks time. There are some good reasons to choose to fly paragliders, being safer than hang gliders is not one of them.
Since paragliding is pretty easy to learn, it doesn't take much before some (certainly not all) instructors will send you off the hill. The time investment in learning is lower than in hang gliding, as a result we have some flying sites full of "noobs" that don't really know what they are doing, and they don't know that they don't know. Just about every hang glider pilot that has flown with paragliders has a story where a paraglider pilot has done something stupid that affected them. Usually not clearing their turns or following rules of the road.
Hang gliders can fly in in strong conditions, it is just normal. Paragliders need to be very cautious, even better, decide to fly another day. In light conditions the paragliders do really well. If paragliders were only flown in light conditions then they probably would be slightly safer than hang gliders.
Concerning powered paragliding, again, flown in light conditions I think it would be fun and reasonably safe. I've only seen a couple in person, the takeoff looks to be a bit challenging, lots of torque yaw. They are pretty noisy.
The two sports seems slightly incompatible so it's probably not a good idea to share air space. Just like kiteboarding and windsurfing don't seem to mesh on the same lakes due to directions of travel and lines, paragliding and hang gliding probably have similar conflicts.
Were those accidents you mentioned in Oregon the result of flying in some windy conditions?
Summertime brings rowdy air. Strong thermals with tight cores and turbulence, especially near the ground. Higher up things mellow out - generally. Don't know any details about the deployments in Oregon, just rowdy air. The accident in Chelan, WA was rowdy with a bit of wind.
Sharing the air really isn't a problem when people are paying attention. It's not so much the vehicle, it's the pilot.
A powered paraglider would be ideal for stable, calm conditions - when there is no lift, and when you don't have to battle a headwind.
Just found these old yearbook pics circa 1977, the only pics I have of my HG, a 17' Eipperformance Rogallo wing. It "boasted" a 5:1 glide ratio, downright pathetic compared to modern kites.
just like sailing, i feel safer the further away from land i am. I was up to 8,700' a couple weeks ago, flew 26 miles that day in my new u2. Max climb was 1,400 fpm. There's nothing quite like it.
Just found these old yearbook pics circa 1977, the only pics I have of my HG, a 17' Eipperformance Rogallo wing. It "boasted" a 5:1 glide ratio, downright pathetic compared to modern kites.
You and W9GFO have done a very spectacular sport ! However Erco it seems that you were a pioneer!!
Comments
I was half expecting normal RC gear but it looks like he has a cool little joystick to control the camera. Very interesting.
My brother had saved up money for a motorcycle but once my mother found out the purpose of the saved money she forbid he purchase one. She hadn't forbade purchasing a hang glider.
I decided not to take my turn at the bar after my brother crushed four vertebrae using the trial and error approach to learning to hang glide.
[video=youtube_share;CjM4A86fqbk]
Flew the first powered one from Dockweiler beach. No wheels then so it was a foot launch and landing.
One of the other guys there flew it over the stacks at the power plant south of there.
Lots of memories brought back by this thread.
No longer fly but that was decided by the "Boss".
So for those that still do "good lift".
@Rich: WRT Altitude, you take what you can get with a 4:1 glide ratio.
I was flying a Zephyr back in the mid 70's.
http://www.myparaglidingbuddies.com/for-sale-zephyr-aircraft-rogallo-wing-hang-glider-1973-463412.html
Had a 7:1 glide ratio. I think the Space Shuttle was better.
https://www.dropbox.com/s/2e9jy5jut3a73yp/HoveRally 2014 LowRes.mp4
Was recorded with this craft:
Pretty good flying.
Ken Gracey
The biggest problem with paragliders is the perception that they are safer. Flown in calm conditions they are pretty safe, and the learning curve is slight compared to hang gliders. But, the more interesting the conditions get, the less safe they become. They have a tendency to collapse in turbulence, sometimes at the most inconvenient times. We just lost a very experienced instructor in Chelan last week due to a collapse right after launching. And three weeks ago I witnessed a paraglider pilot descending on his reserve parachute after his wing collapsed, he was okay. Shortly before that in Oregon there were several deployments in one weeks time. There are some good reasons to choose to fly paragliders, being safer than hang gliders is not one of them.
Since paragliding is pretty easy to learn, it doesn't take much before some (certainly not all) instructors will send you off the hill. The time investment in learning is lower than in hang gliding, as a result we have some flying sites full of "noobs" that don't really know what they are doing, and they don't know that they don't know. Just about every hang glider pilot that has flown with paragliders has a story where a paraglider pilot has done something stupid that affected them. Usually not clearing their turns or following rules of the road.
Hang gliders can fly in in strong conditions, it is just normal. Paragliders need to be very cautious, even better, decide to fly another day. In light conditions the paragliders do really well. If paragliders were only flown in light conditions then they probably would be slightly safer than hang gliders.
Concerning powered paragliding, again, flown in light conditions I think it would be fun and reasonably safe. I've only seen a couple in person, the takeoff looks to be a bit challenging, lots of torque yaw. They are pretty noisy.
Were those accidents you mentioned in Oregon the result of flying in some windy conditions?
Sharing the air really isn't a problem when people are paying attention. It's not so much the vehicle, it's the pilot.
A powered paraglider would be ideal for stable, calm conditions - when there is no lift, and when you don't have to battle a headwind.
Just found these old yearbook pics circa 1977, the only pics I have of my HG, a 17' Eipperformance Rogallo wing. It "boasted" a 5:1 glide ratio, downright pathetic compared to modern kites.
To be 18 again.
i m p r e s s i v e !
You and W9GFO have done a very spectacular sport ! However Erco it seems that you were a pioneer!!
Perhaps I was first, but Rich has flown 8650 feet higher than I ever got. Yowsah, I rarely get that high in my Cessna!