MasterBlaster
Administrator Emeritus
That is so awesome.
Hang Gliding!
- Thread starter treetx
- Start date
- Replies 270
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treetx
Traveler extraordinaire
- Thread Starter Thread Starter
- #77
It is way cool. One thing I like about it is that it is not a sport full of risk takers and chancers. You don't see stupid people doing this sport (not for long anyway).
It is a very thinking man's sport. You make decisions and deal with consequences. You have to quickly change plans, re-evaluate a new reality and deal with that situation. You can't just hit the throttle and go around again if you muck up a landing approach. Sink out in the wrong place and your landing options will all involve the word "tree".
But, make good decisions and you get rewarded with altitude. You push and push yourself to the edge to get more altitude and longer flights but you also have to keep in mind that if you make a bad decision resulting in a bad experience (accident), you will scare yourself and seriously (if not permanently) set back your decision making to the point you are so scared of another bad experience that you can no longer make the decisions needed for long safe flights.
In regards to decision making, it is a lot like removing big trees. You have to know when to push it and when to back off.
It is a very thinking man's sport. You make decisions and deal with consequences. You have to quickly change plans, re-evaluate a new reality and deal with that situation. You can't just hit the throttle and go around again if you muck up a landing approach. Sink out in the wrong place and your landing options will all involve the word "tree".
But, make good decisions and you get rewarded with altitude. You push and push yourself to the edge to get more altitude and longer flights but you also have to keep in mind that if you make a bad decision resulting in a bad experience (accident), you will scare yourself and seriously (if not permanently) set back your decision making to the point you are so scared of another bad experience that you can no longer make the decisions needed for long safe flights.
In regards to decision making, it is a lot like removing big trees. You have to know when to push it and when to back off.
Thor's Hammer
Wolfish. Sometimes Bites.
Tre cool Nate. leave those earth bound misfits behind!
Thor's Hammer
Wolfish. Sometimes Bites.
Nate, what's your opinion on this? Looked most excellent to me..
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treetx
Traveler extraordinaire
- Thread Starter Thread Starter
- #81
Very nice wing. Rigid wing..... wide with an awesome glide ratio....
They don't turn by weight shift like other hangies... moving the control frame actuates spoilerons (flaps).
Nice.... I would say an ATOS is on my 10yr plan. Sail planes on my 20yr plan.
They don't turn by weight shift like other hangies... moving the control frame actuates spoilerons (flaps).
Nice.... I would say an ATOS is on my 10yr plan. Sail planes on my 20yr plan.
Old Monkey
Treehouser
- Joined
- Mar 9, 2005
- Messages
- 8,764
It looks like a lot of fun Nate. Do you dream of flying at night?
Bodean
Cali dreamer
That really looks like a great way to spend time.
I'm sure it's like a soul spa.
I'm sure it's like a soul spa.
treetx
Traveler extraordinaire
- Thread Starter Thread Starter
- #85
I often dream of flying. After a long day flying, it is like after a long day of tree work on a windy day..... you lay in bed, close your eyes and still feel the motion......
It is a great way to spend time... but getting less and less as the kiddo gets older..
It is a great way to spend time... but getting less and less as the kiddo gets older..
MasterBlaster
Administrator Emeritus
What, the extra weight dragging you down? Get him his own glider! 
R
Ridgey
Guest
Haha MB!!!!
vharrison
Island Girl
Nate, did you see the accident that happened? I saw something about it on TV.
treetx
Traveler extraordinaire
- Thread Starter Thread Starter
- #90
No, I didn't do you have a link?
Fatalities for hang gliding are pretty rare... in the US, maybe 1-2 a year. Unlike 1978 with over 50 dead in the US. The sport has come a long way. I did find this fatality from the other day....
The worst fatalities imo are the failure to hook in deaths. (this wasn't)
http://sonomawingsbb.yuku.com/topic/2730/t/Very-sad-news.html
http://lakeconews.com/content/view/10436/764/
Fatalities for hang gliding are pretty rare... in the US, maybe 1-2 a year. Unlike 1978 with over 50 dead in the US. The sport has come a long way. I did find this fatality from the other day....
The worst fatalities imo are the failure to hook in deaths. (this wasn't)
http://sonomawingsbb.yuku.com/topic/2730/t/Very-sad-news.html
http://lakeconews.com/content/view/10436/764/
rskybiz
TreeHouser
cool cool cool, treetx! for years I have wanted to get in on HG. "sounds" reasonable price wise even.
treetx
Traveler extraordinaire
- Thread Starter Thread Starter
- #93
It is a blast.
2 weeks ago I flew 24 miles (12 out, 12 back) of the Sacrament Mountains in New Mexico white over looking White Sands.
My trip report
http://slaveofgravity.blogspot.com/2010/10/alamogordo-columbus-day.html
2 weeks ago I flew 24 miles (12 out, 12 back) of the Sacrament Mountains in New Mexico white over looking White Sands.
My trip report
http://slaveofgravity.blogspot.com/2010/10/alamogordo-columbus-day.html
woodworkingboy
TreeHouser
Never have hang glided, but I've been up in a glider plane with my friend who has one. He's a great pilot, holds the national distance record. We couldn't go up in his German made super cool fiberglass glider as it is a single seater, but he took me up in an old wooden glider trainer. The strongest impression besides getting nauseous when we found an updraft and did the circling climb, is the power of the wind. Up in a glider you can experience it very unlike when on the ground. It's a telling experience. Getting sent up by a winch was pretty cool too, a few gs suddenly on take off.
MasterBlaster
Administrator Emeritus
What's the longest time you've been aloft? And the height - how high can you go?
treetx
Traveler extraordinaire
- Thread Starter Thread Starter
- #96
The longest time, for me, was 3hrs 35 min.
The highest above sea level was New Mexico, at 11,000ft. The town where we land is 4,500 feet, so 6,500 ft above ground. This year in Texas, I hit 6,000ft above ground.
At this site in New Mexico, in the summer, people get 15-16K.
I am not looking for altitude or duration, I am hunting miles. The longest flight on a hang glider is 437 miles (from south texas to near Lubbock). I would like to score a few hundred miles
The highest above sea level was New Mexico, at 11,000ft. The town where we land is 4,500 feet, so 6,500 ft above ground. This year in Texas, I hit 6,000ft above ground.
At this site in New Mexico, in the summer, people get 15-16K.
I am not looking for altitude or duration, I am hunting miles. The longest flight on a hang glider is 437 miles (from south texas to near Lubbock). I would like to score a few hundred miles
S
Strikermike
Guest
Pilots in non-pressurized aircraft both private and commercial are supposed to use supplemental oxygen above 12,000 feet. Is there a similar rule for gliders and hanggliders? I have taken a Piper Cherokee to 16,000 feet without O2 I could definitely feel the lack of oxygen. Would not want to be there long.
treetx
Traveler extraordinaire
- Thread Starter Thread Starter
- #98
There is no rule but it is a good idea.
Heck, I live at 500ft. I am already winded at 6k.
The FAA limits us at 18,000ft. Sipping on the O's is normal for hang gliders above 14K though there are lots of folks who routinely go without. I have a pocket for an O2 bottle in my harness.
My main issue is cold. In Texas when it is 105 on the ground, it is 60 at cloudbase. The short time I was at 11k, my hands got cold fast and I was happy to be wearing several thermal layers.
Heck, I live at 500ft. I am already winded at 6k.
The FAA limits us at 18,000ft. Sipping on the O's is normal for hang gliders above 14K though there are lots of folks who routinely go without. I have a pocket for an O2 bottle in my harness.
My main issue is cold. In Texas when it is 105 on the ground, it is 60 at cloudbase. The short time I was at 11k, my hands got cold fast and I was happy to be wearing several thermal layers.
MasterBlaster
Administrator Emeritus
It'd be cool if you could parachute out of it. It could circle until you land, then you control its landing.
treetx
Traveler extraordinaire
- Thread Starter Thread Starter
- #100
Something like this....
Party starts at 2:25ish
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No way... I have no interest in falling. I like flying.
Party starts at 2:25ish
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No way... I have no interest in falling. I like flying.
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