Hang Gliding!

[treetx]

James mentioned it.... so here goes......

I started HG in 07 after my ex-coworker mentioned he had gotten into the sport. I said I would love to but I live in TEXAS, not the ALPS!! :what:

That is when he said great! Texas has the WORLD distance record for hang gliding and great conditions. Every summer pilots from around the world converge on Zapata, TX, near Laredo to go for the record. They fly to north of Abeline ....over 300 miles in one flight!

They use aero tow to get into the sky....I got certified to do this in July. You tow up behind an ultralight and then pin off at 2000ft to go hunt thermals.

I started on the training hill until I could really fly it. This is me back in January

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Once you get used to weight shift flying..... off to the hill. Packsaddle near austin is a 400ft hill. I have a few flights there over 3 hours with some high climbs in thermals. A lot of the flying is in ridgelift instead of climbing thermals.

The other site in Texas is a hill in Leakey. It is only 300ft but it hold the WORLD distance record for a footlaunched paraglider. There is no launch ramp and it is a hike up the hill. I am the only hang glider to launch the hill in 08. This vid is of me launching in June. My 1st launch there in rough conditions on a wing a bit too big for me. Notice how I get knocked about fumbling with my harness (noobie) before catching the elevator to the sky.
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Free flying is great...little compares to it. Like tree work, it increases your awareness of the natural world around you. It is something that for me, celebrates the spirit of mankind - the urge to break free from where the earth meets the sky while having the adventure of living a dream.

Just like I am drawn to trees, I can't look at the sky and not want to fly.

The following pics are me

You can tow up behind a truck, but I am yet to learn that.

 

[vharrison]

That is, awsome Nate! Nice landing in that first video. Smooth.

 

[moray]

Very cool! Nice post!

I flew for about 10 years back in the 80's and 90's, starting when the first double-surfaced gliders appeared. Besides the flying itself, which will inevitably lead to lots of charged memories burned into your brain, there was one phenomenon I ran into 2 or 3 times that has really stuck with me--the glory.

That's the real name, and it only happens if the sun is well above you, a cloud or fog bank is below you, you can see your shadow on the cloud, and there is a perfect 360-degree rainbow surrounding your shadow! The physics of the thing dictates that your shadow has to be in the dead center of the rainbow. More precisely, the shadow of your eye is at the dead center of the rainbow! When it happened to me the air was not thermally at all, so I could chill out, cross my arms, and enjoy the show.

 

[Jamin Mayer]

How much for the certification?

 

[MasterBlaster]

How much for the average glider?

 

[Canuck]

This is something I've been very interested in for a long time now. Ex wife said no way jose. I think that next summer I am going to learn. Now if I can just find room next to my skiis, kayak, bike,.........

 

[stehansen]

This is really cool Nate.

 

[JamesTX]

I started on the training hill until I could really fly it.

You only took a step or two before taking off - that's wild. You could jump off our hill over the Pedernales no problem. Soar with the buzzards - there must be some good thermals because they'll stay up forever.

How high do you go?

 

[Cobleskill]

Gliding looks cool. I have never done that but I have taken a couple lessons in an ultralight. They are powered by a 30-40 horse 2cylinder 2 stroke. Trikite.com is a site that is quite good. He used to be a Quicksiver dealer and he now has a bunch of kits and parts he makes to modify them. Quicksilvers were designed as a hangglider and modified to be an ultralight. He modifies them so they fly better as a powered ultralight.

 

[woodworkingboy]

A lot of people involved in that activity in my area. Having once flown in a glider plane, I can only say that hang gliding must be great. It must be awesome to feel the power of the wind.

 

[treetx]

Certified - $1000

Glider - new - $3500 but I have a good used one for $1500

James - I am always looking for new places to go but wind is needed too. That is why it took so few steps to take off in the training vid. Do you have a north or a south facing hill?

 

[MasterBlaster]

How long does it take to break it down or put it together?

 

[treetx]

15-20 minutes if you hurry but about 30 if you take your time.

 

[MasterBlaster]

Can you crash, and why?

 

[Mr. Sir]

I'm sure you can, but it's not recommended.

 

[treetx]

Can you crash, and why?

Oh hell yes! If you pay attention, and fly the glider it is very very safe.

If you try to fly in conditions that are too rough or too windy, it has consequences. Fatalities or injuries mainly fall into 2 categories - launch or landing. There are very few in air incidents (wing failure or tumbling)

Stupid decisions have consequences. I made one and ended up on the back side of the hill in lee side rotor with my only landing options involved "tree". I got lucky.

 

[Dave Shepard]

Remember, mankind has a perfect record in flight, we've never left one up there! Looks cool, what's the weight limit on one of those things.

 

[treetx]

Ha! Aviation is lots of peace and boredom punctuated by moments of sheer terror.

 

[JamesTX]

Certified - $1000

Glider - new - $3500 but I have a good used one for $1500

James - I am always looking for new places to go but wind is needed too. That is why it took so few steps to take off in the training vid. Do you have a north or a south facing hill?

Hill faces south - always have a good wind coming up it except in the winter.

You land on the wheels? I thought you landed on your feet.

 

[MasterBlaster]

Ha! Aviation is lots of peace and boredom punctuated by moments of sheer terror.

I can imagine!

 

[Bodean]

Now, That's Incredible. Nate

 

[sotc]

very cool nate, and you started in your 30s! might have to try something new

 

[Old Monkey]

I used to really want to give that a try. There are some great places to fly just north of San Francisco where I grew up. I work such long hours that I prefer to do recreation that I can do with my kid. Maybe when she's older I'll give it a try.

 

[treetx]

I would love to fly in the Bay Area - Mt. Tam, Ft Funston.

I hear you about the recreation with your kid. I am wondering how that will change the sport for me. It was honestly my big push to get in a lot of hrs and a solid skill set this year BEFORE the kid.

There are a lot of guys over 50 just getting into it or returning to it after taking a break for 20 years to raise their kids.

I like the sport as it has many paralells to tree work. You hang your life on systems you put together and inspect - in a harness, danging from a biner (NO snaps Butch!)

very cool nate, and you started in your 30s! might have to try something new

Starting something new in your 30s! It is not starting flying in my 30s that scares me, it is this starting to be a parent that scares me

 

[moray]

I would love to fly in the Bay Area - Mt. Tam, Ft Funston...

Nate, Funston is boring, but Mt. Tam is awesome. You need your intermediate rating to fly there, as it is a regulated site. Even though that smooth Pacific air usually means you are only going to get a 15-minute sled ride to the beach, the views are world class. In smooth air you can line up on a big redwood tree and fly 6 feet right over the top. The frosting on the cake is landing on Stinson Beach, the easiest landing you'll ever do. Keep the pictures coming!