It's great to see schools and pilots planning fun hang gliding
flying events for the summer. Cowboy Up Hang Gliding (Jackson Hole, Wyoming) is
pitching its hat into the flying fun arena. In addition to our everyday flying
in and around Jackson Hole, here's what we have planned:
May 14 & 15 - Tandem Hang Gliding Instructor's Clinic, Jackson Hole, Wyoming -
T1, T2 & Tandem Instructor.
MAY 20, 21 & 22 - Big Sky Aerotow Fly-In, Montana - learn to aerotow or just
blow off the winter rust and do some Big Sky Big Thermal flying in the Madison
River Valley.
June 17, 18, 19, 20 - Cowboy Up XC@Stage Stop 1 (training for pilots with
limited to no xc flying experience - Instructor: 3 time National Champion, Paris
Williams)
July 13, 14, 15, 16, 17 - Cowboy Up Pony Express XC-Advanced (training for
experienced xc pilots who want to add the racer's edge - head by 3 times
National Champion, Paris Williams and assisted by #1 ranked National Rigid Wing
pilot, Jim Yocom)
Detailed information on all these events can be found on our website:
www.cuhanggliding.com. Also, we have
other events planned for the Fall, but we'll announce those during the summer.
Gregg Ludwig, Hang Glide Houston, AT Administrator,
<Skycruiser3> writes:
Here at Hang Glide Houston we recently acquired a new aerotow
dolly and I have been asked to share what I learned during this buying process.
With our club it has been difficult to convince members of the need for another
dolly. I have always enjoyed flying at the flight parks where it seems each
pilot gets a dolly and it is my opinion that a club can not have too many
dollies.
The market value of a dolly can be anywhere from $500 for an old used one to
about $900 new. Most pilots don't seem to understand how they can cost so much
but there really is a lot of work involved to fabricate a dolly.
The frame is simple by design but the choice of caster wheel assemblies is
critical for proper operation. Several years ago Dr Tillman (professor
engineering EMU) from Cloud9, Michigan wrote a lengthy article detailing dolly
design requirements and specifications. The most challenging aspect of the dolly
design is the requirement to track straight for take off and for the wheels to
not shimmy or wobble at take off speeds.
It is because of the complex caster assemblies that I recommend purchasing a
dolly rather than attempt to build one. Most of the flight parks have dollies
available for sale and it really is a matter of preference as to which one to
buy. I prefer the dollies with "plastic wood" cradles while others insist on
wood cradles.
Wood cradles may offer a little more friction on the control bar so that the
glider does not slide around during taxi. Composite racks can be made lighter
and with less bulk. Some dollies are better suited for outrigger wheels. All
dollies use custom made casters as no suitable manufactured casters exists.
My preference has always been the dollies used at Wallaby Ranch, Florida because
of their large size and caster design. A good caster design will work without
bungees or friction devices but those devices may help in some cases. With the
Wallaby dolly it tracks straight for take off, but it also is easy to turn for
taxi purposes. It all has to do with the caster assembly.
The Wallaby caster pins are tilted in addition to using a smaller diameter tail
wheel to provide additional tilt of the caster pin. This arrangement works very
well and took years to develop. Vertical caster pins seem more prone to wobble
particularly at higher speeds. At higher speeds the friction on the caster pins
is reduced as the glider produces lift and may allow the caster to wobble.
If considering designing/building your own club dolly be advised it may be more
difficult than it would appear and it may not perform as well as expected. I may
not offer much information here, but if nothing else only to advise that the
dolly by purchase is a good way to go.
I argued earlier that CIVL did not use the internet to help in their decision
making. In particular, the context was in regard to involving the general hang
gliding community in that process (go back and look at my article). The fact
that you get a lot of email from other CIVL people as an CIVL vice president
only reinforces my point.
Of course, CIVL uses the internet. They do have a web site after all (well, sort
of, as an adjunct to the FAI), and they
did post the agenda for the Plenary along with twenty seven annexes. The problem
is that they (the CIVL office and Bureau) don't use the internet effectively,
and they are not involving anyone other than official CIVL representatives in
the discussion that affects many others.
I'm sure that you understood that many issues were brought before the CIVL
Plenary which had received little to no discussion outside the small group that
was proposing the agenda items. After all, you were at the USHGA BOD/CC meeting
where only three (out of hundreds, as you say) items for CIVL were discussed. If
the USHGA officials responsible for CIVL issues don't have an idea of what's
going on, how can anyone else?
I'm sure that we can really agree on these points, as the evidence is
overwhelming.
Will CIVL change? Will it open up to involving the general hang gliding
community in its discussions? I certainly hope so and I'm doing my best to make
it happen.
The new President of CIVL has said that CIVL will use the internet much more. I
hope it isn't just to fill up Jim's Inbox.
I have nothing but praise for the CIVL delegates. As volunteers, I'm sure that
you and they worked hard and did a great job, especially considering the
circumstances.
I corresponded with Oyvind and Stewart before the Plenary about the badges,
records, and GPS issues. This is something that I have worked on (and written
about) for years. It is great to see progress being made on this issue. World
Records and badges should be totally automated through the HOLC.
The NSW HG state titles comp in Manilla got underway on Saturday.
We have had two days off due to the trough hovering over our heads, which has
brought strong winds. Task one was something of a struggle, but today we had the
conditions for which Manilla is known, with every pilot getting some airtime and
plenty of happy faces tonight.
You don't need thermals over a warm landmass to create a sea
breeze. On a completely stable day the heating of the air overland causes it to
expand even though it does not rise. This causes a bulge at the top of the
atmosphere and a pressure gradient there.
The air in this bulge then slides over the unexpanded air over the sea resulting
in a pressure difference at sea level between the landward and seaward sides of
the coast.
Eric Raymond is alive and well in southern CA. He continues his
work in solar and minimal powered aircraft and aerostats. A few years ago, he
modified his previously successful Sunseeker solar-powered aircraft to produce
the Edelweiss, an ultralight sailplane.
Often, he works for Aerovironment. Recently, he and Bill Watson fabricated two
UAV's for a research project that Paul MacCready, Taras Kiceniuck, Jr. and I
have been serving as key personnel on. I am not at liberty to discuss the
details of the project, but other notable names that are consulting on it
actively include Ilan Kroo and Steve Morris.
At AV, Carlos Miralles and Derick Lisoski are running herd. We have quite a team
of talented and original thinkers involved in this effort to evaluate
atmospheric energy harvesting.
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The Oz Report, a near-daily, world wide hang gliding news ezine, with reports on competitions, pilot rankings, political issues, fly-ins, the latest technology, ultralight sailplanes, reader feedback and anything else from within the global HG community worthy of coverage. Hang gliding, paragliding, hang gliders, paragliders, aerotowing, hang glide, paraglide, platform towing, competitions, fly-ins. Hang gliding and paragliding news from around the world, by Davis Straub.
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