J
JamesTX
Guest
Nate - where did you learn? Is there a school here in Austin?
Hang Gliding!
- Thread starter treetx
- Start date
- Replies 270
- Views 38K
vharrison
Island Girl
It is not starting flying in my 30s that scares me, it is this starting to be a parent that scares me
Nate, you are going to be a great parent!
treetx
Traveler extraordinaire
- Thread Starter Thread Starter
- #28
James -
www.flytexas.com problem is that in winter Jeffo's business is www.flymexico.com so he won't be back until spring.
That training hill vid is Murchison Middle School off Far West Blvd. Training is pretty much making sure you can stay engaged, fly the glider, and land consistantly (on your feet). The wheels are there to prevent consequences if the basetube hits the ground on landing.
v- thanks for the vote of confidence. I have a feeling that not only will I be good at it but also enjoy it. I have a fear of situations with no easy out....being a parent is one of those...failure is not an option.
Moray- I have heard Funston is just costal soaring. I hoped to hear that Mt Tam was more than a sledder.
James - how high? I have gotten over 2k. I have seen guys in Texas get over 8k. At places like the Owens Valley (CA) or King MT (ID), guys get up to 18K (FAA limit).
Nobody asked, but FYI, way safer than paragliding.
www.flytexas.com problem is that in winter Jeffo's business is www.flymexico.com so he won't be back until spring.
That training hill vid is Murchison Middle School off Far West Blvd. Training is pretty much making sure you can stay engaged, fly the glider, and land consistantly (on your feet). The wheels are there to prevent consequences if the basetube hits the ground on landing.
v- thanks for the vote of confidence. I have a feeling that not only will I be good at it but also enjoy it. I have a fear of situations with no easy out....being a parent is one of those...failure is not an option.
Moray- I have heard Funston is just costal soaring. I hoped to hear that Mt Tam was more than a sledder.
James - how high? I have gotten over 2k. I have seen guys in Texas get over 8k. At places like the Owens Valley (CA) or King MT (ID), guys get up to 18K (FAA limit).
Nobody asked, but FYI, way safer than paragliding.
woodworkingboy
TreeHouser
Nate, do you ever get motion sickness when gliding? In the glider plane, I became sick to my stomach when we hit a thermal and started going round and round. It wasn't fun at that point.
treetx
Traveler extraordinaire
- Thread Starter Thread Starter
- #30
No, but turbulence and thermal don't bother me when flying in normal aircraft. I luckily don't get motion sickness - after several hours of hang gliding, it is like after several hours of tree work on a windy day - you can close your eyes and feel the gentle motion.
I quite enjoy the thermal bumps and air going up...what I don't like is the sink that is frequently next to a thermal. That sudden down air next to strong up air (800-1000fpm) feels a bit like going over the falls.
I quite enjoy the thermal bumps and air going up...what I don't like is the sink that is frequently next to a thermal. That sudden down air next to strong up air (800-1000fpm) feels a bit like going over the falls.
MasterBlaster
Administrator Emeritus
How do you know your altitude? A wristwatch altimeter?
treetx
Traveler extraordinaire
- Thread Starter Thread Starter
- #32
now you are talking... GEAR!
If you really want to get up and out, you need a variometer. Most of them come with an altimeter... they beep when you are going up and tell you how fast you are going up to help you better center a thermal. Plus if you are several hundred/1000ft off the ground, it can be hard to tell if you are going up..you can feel the acceleration when you start going up but after that, it can be had to tell if you are going up at 100 ft/min or down at 100 ft/min.
variometer w/altimeter - $500
If you really want to get up and out, you need a variometer. Most of them come with an altimeter... they beep when you are going up and tell you how fast you are going up to help you better center a thermal. Plus if you are several hundred/1000ft off the ground, it can be hard to tell if you are going up..you can feel the acceleration when you start going up but after that, it can be had to tell if you are going up at 100 ft/min or down at 100 ft/min.
variometer w/altimeter - $500
MasterBlaster
Administrator Emeritus
Is that required gear?
MasterBlaster
Administrator Emeritus
What is the injury rate?
MasterBlaster
Administrator Emeritus
That doesn't seem too bad.
Great thread.
When I worked in the forests of switzerland back in 79-81, the guy I worked for was a dedicated Hangglider.
He got me started using his spare glider. We had a great launchspot from the top of mt. Stockhorn nearby.
There is cable lift that runs up to 2190 meter ( about 7200 feet), the local hang glider club had buildt a ramp off the mountainside, we could jump from. Straight out into 7000 feet of air............wheeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeee!
Flying in winter was especially beautiful (and cold) with the setting sun turning The three giant mountains of Berner oberland:
Eiger ( known for it's north face), Mönch and Jungfrau rosecoloured.
I don't glide any more, Denmark is too flat and ugly, but I still have the memorys from Schweiz.
When I worked in the forests of switzerland back in 79-81, the guy I worked for was a dedicated Hangglider.
He got me started using his spare glider. We had a great launchspot from the top of mt. Stockhorn nearby.
There is cable lift that runs up to 2190 meter ( about 7200 feet), the local hang glider club had buildt a ramp off the mountainside, we could jump from. Straight out into 7000 feet of air............wheeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeee!
Flying in winter was especially beautiful (and cold) with the setting sun turning The three giant mountains of Berner oberland:
Eiger ( known for it's north face), Mönch and Jungfrau rosecoloured.
I don't glide any more, Denmark is too flat and ugly, but I still have the memorys from Schweiz.
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moray
Guest
Nate, how do you know about Tam? Have you been there? Don't be too dismissive of Tam just because it is only soarable 10 or 15% of the time; I have seen hotshot mountain pilots there many times, and they certainly weren't there for the great soaring. Like Stig's photo, the place is drop-dead gorgeous.
Sometimes even a benign and predictable site like Tam will surprise you. I had heard vague rumors about a convergence that sometimes set up over the beach, but no one I knew had ever encountered it or knew much about it. Normally, once you were over the beach you were in flat air and you were going down, period. Until one special day when I lucked out.
The day was flat, there was no significant lift anywere, so with nothing better to do I headed to the beach earlier than usual, arriving with 600 feet to spare. Suddenly my vario went off! The lift was very weak, and seemed to be concentrated in a long band parallel to the beach and about 500 yards long. I milked it for all it was worth and 10 minutes later I was back at 1900 feet, level with launch! I thought I was dreaming.
I knew I would never experience this again, so I pointed my nose towards Japan and headed straight out to sea. The lift band extended over the water for several hundred yards, and I went about 1/4 mile losing only about 200 feet. When I came back to the beach, arriving with about 800 feet, the lift was gone. A magical door had opened for just a few minutes, and I was incredibly lucky to be there.
Sometimes even a benign and predictable site like Tam will surprise you. I had heard vague rumors about a convergence that sometimes set up over the beach, but no one I knew had ever encountered it or knew much about it. Normally, once you were over the beach you were in flat air and you were going down, period. Until one special day when I lucked out.
The day was flat, there was no significant lift anywere, so with nothing better to do I headed to the beach earlier than usual, arriving with 600 feet to spare. Suddenly my vario went off! The lift was very weak, and seemed to be concentrated in a long band parallel to the beach and about 500 yards long. I milked it for all it was worth and 10 minutes later I was back at 1900 feet, level with launch! I thought I was dreaming.
I knew I would never experience this again, so I pointed my nose towards Japan and headed straight out to sea. The lift band extended over the water for several hundred yards, and I went about 1/4 mile losing only about 200 feet. When I came back to the beach, arriving with about 800 feet, the lift was gone. A magical door had opened for just a few minutes, and I was incredibly lucky to be there.
Thor's Hammer
Wolfish. Sometimes Bites.
Very Cool Thread Award!
SOunds fantastic Nate. I've wanted to do t for years, but my better half has begged me not as its supposed to be so dangerous - reading your thread has made me realse its time to do it...
This is about 10 miles from me... I live on the island slightly further up the coast.
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SOunds fantastic Nate. I've wanted to do t for years, but my better half has begged me not as its supposed to be so dangerous - reading your thread has made me realse its time to do it...
This is about 10 miles from me... I live on the island slightly further up the coast.
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woodworkingboy
TreeHouser
Ever hear of anyone falling asleep while they are doing that?
OTGBOSTON
punk in drublic
That first vid looks like you are launching dangerously close to the power lines....
J
JamesTX
Guest
So, when you're gliding can you carry a camera? Or are you too busy flying to take pics?
treetx
Traveler extraordinaire
- Thread Starter Thread Starter
- #45
That self pic of myself is just one I took while flying. Pulled the camera out, snapped a few and put it back.
If you are ridge soaring, close to a ridge in somewhat thermally conditions, your focus had better be on staying in the middle of the air. It is the edges that will hurt you.
If you are a few thousand up, snap away
If you are ridge soaring, close to a ridge in somewhat thermally conditions, your focus had better be on staying in the middle of the air. It is the edges that will hurt you.
If you are a few thousand up, snap away
Thor's Hammer
Wolfish. Sometimes Bites.
Nate, I saw this and thought of you...
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treetx
Traveler extraordinaire
- Thread Starter Thread Starter
- #47
Ha! That thing must get hot! He doesn't stay prone long.
Nah, I like the free flying. Something special about no motor, just flying for hours.
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Nah, I like the free flying. Something special about no motor, just flying for hours.
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J
JamesTX
Guest
Hours? You can stay up for hours?
MasterBlaster
Administrator Emeritus
Haha, I'm suprised too.
woodworkingboy
TreeHouser
It's a tough question but somebody has to ask it, what's the procedure for the essential bodily function?
