Oz Report

Hang Gliding as Religion

Andrew Bett|PG|USHGA

I’ve published articles previously claiming that we belong to a minor cult.  Felipe Amunategui «dr.amunategui» (USHGA BOD regional director) writes:

Andrew Bett's beautifully written piece touches on a seldom acknowledged aspect of our craft.  Others have hinted at this as well when they refer to Hang Gliding as a lifestyle.  Personally, it is my religion, and there are many who think of it this way.

(editor’s note: I really hate it when hang gliding is referred to as a “lifestyle.”)

Traditional marketing cannot capture the mystical, self-transcending aspect of our activities.  The spiritual side of our craft is difficult to convey to the uninitiated, and it becomes evident to the practitioner only after the technical aspects are mastered.

Andrew is right when he highlights the gritty, self-endangering aspects of training.  Training mostly occurs in remote places, in harsh climates and in environments that test the resolve of newcomers.  If the beginner endures the discomfort (physical, financial, emotional and social) associated with training, then the next challenge becomes one of finding a mentor to carry one through the dreaded intermediate syndrome.

This requires a supportive community with a culture of mentorship motivated by very little more than self-perpetuation of the craft.  They do exist, but they are scattered far apart, and they seem to be shrinking in numbers.  Also, my impression is that, with very few exceptions, these communities tend to center around one or two individuals.

When that individual departs, the self-perpetuating community risks disintegration.  I experienced this directly after the death of a local instructor, and I have observed it in a few other groups operating in the region.  As a side note, perhaps we should understand how to better support the existence of these communities, clubs, etc.  that have a history of self- perpetuation.

Our practice of flying resembles many other religious or mystical practices.  First, it is incoherent from the perspective of naive observers.  It tends to be viewed as aberrant or deviant behavior, and it does not "make sense" in a very similar manner in which, say, Buhddism seems incoherent to a Christian observer.

Like other established religions, our form of flying has its own myths (lift models and such), texts (pick your favorite flying bible(s)), rituals (look at what we do before, during and after we fly), places of worship (sites), priests ( ;) ), and even sects (hang + para for one?).

When pilots speak about what motivates them to continue flying for many years, most of us will make reference, in one way or another, to the self- transcending, mystical aspects of the experience.  In speaking about this, pilots come to realize how difficult it is to justify the relentless devotion with which we pursue our form of aviation from the perspective of the uninitiated.  Speak to your significant other about this if you need clarification.

Branding our craft, if it is necessary, needs to include notions that speak about the stoicism required to master it. It also needs to include notions that convey the spiritual/mystical self-transcending aspects of what we do. From our end, we need to think about how we became converts and what supported our individual survival and advancement.  Understanding that process may provide answers to the survival of our craft.

I was instructed, supported with loaned equipment, and mentored well past my basic instruction by a university-based hang-gliding club.  I have not heard much conversation about this process as one means to our survival.  University outdoor clubs and engineering societies are logical entry points.

At another level, here in the U.S. we should consider seeking tax-exempt status as a religion.  Imagine, our flying sites, equipment, even vehicles could be considered as implements of worship and perhaps eligible for a tax write-off.

(editor’s note: More conventional religions are going through a lot of changes.  One of the things they are doing is advertising – branding (http://www.npr.org/rundowns/rundown.php?prgDate=28-Oct-2003&prgId=5 – Competing for Congregants).

The major problem is that hang gliding and paragliding are invisible.  No one knows that they are an option.

I certainly think we can use the hard apprenticeship aspect of hang gliding in the marketing message.  Notice the Xterra brand.  The owners get beat up living the real life outdoors.  http://www.xterraplanet.com/beat/index.html)

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New web site for pre-Worlds and Hay Open

Worlds

http://www.dynamicflight.com.au/worlds.htm

On-line registration!!! You even get an e-mail back acknowledging your entry.  Way cool!

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Australian Open and Bogong Cup

http://bogongcup.dustydemons.com/entery.html

http://australianopen.dustydemons.com/

These are the new web sites for these Australian meets.  PDF forms for entry, but not exactly on-line entry.  Still, much appreciated.

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Cool site guide

http://www.vhpa.org.au/

Click Site Guide.  Click on a dot.

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Accidents

PG|record

I received an e-mail message not too long back asking whether I had any statistics regarding the comparison between the accident records for paragliders and hang gliders.  I didn’t, but recently I found an interesting site that may speak to this issue: http://www.flytandem.com/accident/

I don’t know if paraglider and hang glider pilots fly (well, flew) at Marshall and Crestline equally or not.  Click on Map 2003. Then click on the red dots.  Very interesting.

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Bart Doets

Bart Doets

La Mouette

Bart Doets «bart.doets» writes:

Over a month earlier, I noticed that the La Mouette website http://www.lamouette.com/ did not show any hang gliders anymore, only trike wings (which they have always produced for that other Thevenot-enterprise, Cosmos). I tried to contact La Mouette as to what was up, but never got an answer.  (La Mouette is notorious for poor PR and has been ever since they stopped advertising in the French mag Vol Libre Magazine, following a glider review on the La mouette Jet in the late seventies.)

I got word that La Mouette will stop all hang glider manufacturing except for the single surface intermediate wings Atlas and Sphinx.

The Tsunami rigid wing, often credited to La Mouette, was in fact manufactured by Hélite http://www.helite.com/vollibreva.html, a company owned by Gerard Thevenot and David Chaumet, the French class 5 top pilot, who earlier manufactured carbon parts for La Mouette like Topless crossbars and TopSecret D-tubes.  Helite is currently developing a successor for the Tsunami and is also announcing a successor for the class 1 former world champion glider Topless.  (Apart from hang gliders Helite manufactures various stuff like airbags for motorbikes, and PPG backpacks.)

Apparently the change in La Mouette has been brought on because the Thevenots got fed up with pilots modifying their gliders beyond factory specifications.  One wonders whether the same should not be expected then for Helite?

Lawsuits following the lethal crash of Serge Tastet with a Top Secret two years ago have cost the firm over one million Euros, although La Mouette finally has been declared not guilty (says Gerard Thevenot). Which, as far as I know, has never even been mentioned in any one of the various hang gliding magazines that I receive.

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HGMA

Mike Meier|Wills Wing

Mike Meier HGMA President «mike» writes:

The Hang Glider Manufacturers Association (HGMA) is pleased to announce their new web site at

www.hgma.net

The site contains information about the association and about the hang glider airworthiness standards and certification program that is administered by the association, and contains a searchable database of certification transactions that can be used to determine whether a glider has been granted HGMA certification.

I asked Mike “One thing I've noticed is that you can't get the truck data from the DHV site for any glider.  That appears to be true for the HGMA site also.  It is proprietary on your site also?  I just wanted pitch curves.” He answers:

To answer your question, the HGMA doesn't store any testing data in electronic format.  Pitch curves and other test data that pertain to an individual glider are normally submitted to the HGMA by the manufacturer in printed form as part of the written documentation package.  If the package is accepted by the HGMA, it is sealed and put on file.  (If it is not accepted, it is returned to the manufacturer.)

Packages sealed and put on file with the HGMA are generally considered to be the property of the manufacturer, unless it becomes necessary for the HGMA to review the documentation, as would be the case if a "question of compliance" action were called by the HGMA board.  (A question of compliance can be called if a glider is involved in an incident that calls into question the accuracy of the testing data submitted for certification, or raises a question about whether the certification standards adequately address a particular issue of airworthiness.)

There is, on the Wills Wing web site, a graph of a pitch curve for an HP AT 158 that is fairly typical of the type of curves you tend to see for high performance gliders.  It is the third pitching moment graph in the article on Reflex Bridle Adjustment and Maintaining Pitch Stability.  It's at:

http://www.willswing.com/articles/Article.asp?reqArticleName=ReflexBridles

If you have some questions about pitch graphs or pitch testing I'll try to answer them.

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Free intro lessons with purchase

Curt Warren

Curt Warren «curt» sent me this little announcement of his offer of free lessons with equipment purchase.

WHO: Instruction by Curt Warren
WHAT: Buy any new glider, harness, and vario,
AND THEN receive fifteen tandem flights with ground school.  FREE!
WHERE: Grass strip at the Venice Airport in Venice, FL. -right on the Gulf of Mexico.  WHEN: Until March 2004. -3 spots available.
HOW: Tandem aerotow instruction.
WHY?: Why not?  This is a season kick-off promotion.  The sport needs new pilots, and I love teaching.  Tell your friend who's been "talking" about getting certified.

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Brazil and the Worlds

Brazil|Carol Binder|Curt Warren|Worlds 2003

Brazil|Carol Binder|Curt Warren|Oliver Barthelmes|Worlds 2003

Brazil|Carol Binder|Curt Warren|Oliver Barthelmes|Worlds 2003

Curt Warren «curt» writes:

The recent World Champs and the following Cearar Rally are documented with my brief journal and loads of outstanding pictures from Oli Barthelmes and Carol Binder.  Go to "Captian's Log" at www.WarrenWindsports.com.

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