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topic: Bo Hagewood

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Bo at the Spectacular

May 18, 2015, 8:08:11 EDT

Bo at the Spectacular

Style points

Bo Hagewood|Facebook|video

https://www.facebook.com/video.php?v=10152948701319426&set=vb.49556094425&type=2&theater

Discuss "Bo at the Spectacular" at the Oz Report forum   link»

Cloudsuck, Epilogue »

Mon, Mar 5 2012, 5:19:47 pm GMT

I serialize Cloudsuck for the winter season

Cloudsuck, Elipolgue

André Wolfe|Betinho Schmitz|Bo Hagewood|cart|Cloudsuck|Curt Warren|Dragonfly|Dustin Martin|Gary Osoba|Kari Castle|Kathleen Rigg|Manfred Ruhmer|Mark Poustinchian|Paris Williams|PG|record|video|weather

Many pilots wonder what it really takes to set a world record. Some wonder what it's like to fly at a place like Zapata or other world class sites. Cloudsuck answers these and other questions while telling the story of how I set the current Distance World Record for Rigid Wings. Over this winter, I am pleased to make the book available as a gift to my readers in serialized form. Each Monday, another chapter will be available for you to enjoy here on the Oz Report. The best read is the one in it's entirety, and both the soft cover book and an ebook are available to purchase here: https://OzReport.com/cloudsuck.php. You can find the Kindle version on Amazon.

If you enjoy the serialized installments, you may wish to skip the text below and jump directly to this week's chapter, including any graphics or pictures here: https://OzReport.com/docs/Epilogue.pdf

I hope you enjoy the book and this week's chapter as much as I enjoyed writing it.

Success breeds more Success

The news of the new world records set in Zapata quickly spread throughout the worldwide hang gliding community. Of course I wrote about it in my online e-zine, the Oz Report(https://OzReport.com), but there were plenty of others who picked up the story. I wrote an article for Hang Gliding magazine, and the European hang and paragliding magazines published notices about the new records.

Betinho Schmitz, a top Brazilian hang glider pilot, resolved right away to come the following year to Zapata and set the flex wing world record. Red Bull energy drink was sponsoring him, so he started talking with them about a proposal to do a video of his record attempt.

Many U.S. pilots contacted me about coming in 2001, and I made up a list of potential invitees. I wanted to be sure that the top competition pilots were encouraged to attend our second World Record Encampment, especially some top European pilots.

We decided that with so many pilots coming to Zapata we'd have to get a Dragonfly to aerotow everyone up early in the morning. At the Florida meets the following April, I spoke with Manfred Ruhmer, the flex wing world champion. He hadn't seriously considered it before since he had never done any cross-country flying outside of competitions, but he quickly decided to come. We scheduled two two-week sessions, so that pilots attending the World Championships in Spain could fly to the U.S. in time for the second session.

The first session started off on June 23rd with weather that was conducive to long distance flying, and many of the participants exceeded their personal bests. On June 28th, Mark Poustinchian flew 369 miles to break my world record. He launched a little after 11 AM on a day that didn’t look that good — just a few cu's starting at 10:25, and strong winds out of the south — and ended up near Abilene.

On June 30th, things looked particularly interesting. We had gotten really excited looking at the forecast the night before, since the winds looked right. But there was one problem: high vertical air movements were predicted to occur in the afternoon northeast of Sonora, the signs of a cumulo-nimbus cloud.

I got off to a nice early start, and the conditions were the best I had ever experienced. I’d flown a hundred miles by noon and two hundred miles by 2:45 PM. I was hours ahead of my previous best flight. But as I approached Rock Springs up on the Edwards Plateau I could see clouds piling up on top of other clouds fifty miles to my north. This looked bad. A thunderhead could suck all the lift out of the sky for hundreds of square miles.

Hoping that the clouds would not continue to climb, I headed northwest toward Sonora. The clouds continued to climb high and I knew that I was going to lose my best day. My only hope was to go west and try to get around the storm. I took a sharp left turn to the west and flew forty miles along Interstate 10, hoping to outrun the clouds. Another cumulo-nimbus cloud formed to the west of the original cloud and there was just no way to get around both storms. All the other cu’s were wiped up and the lift disappeared. I landed in disappointment near the freeway.

The weather conditions deteriorated for the next couple of weeks as the first crew headed home and the pilots coming from the Worlds showed up. Every day the skies were blue with very few cumulus clouds. The winds were light.

These relatively poor conditions didn't stop Manfred Ruhmer, whose longest flight before he came to the World Record Encampment had been 130 miles — as a task in a competition. Manfred flew at every opportunity despite the poor prospects for a new world record, improving his personal best. He was able to build up to 224 miles in less than perfect conditions.

Manfred had just won his second world championship in a row, in Spain. Kathleen Rigg, the highest scoring female pilot in the Worlds, teamed up with Manfred and was getting long flights also, although not as long as Manfred's.

Paris Williams, the number one ranked pilot in the U.S., Bo Hagewood, the U.S. National Champion, and Kari Castle, the Women's World Champion, all arrived from the Worlds along with Andre Wolf and Betinho Schmitz, the top pilots from Brazil.

Of course we were all hoping that conditions would improve. And on the evening of July 16th, after two weeks of nice — but not very long — flights, it became clear that the next day would be the day.

On that night the predicted temperature soundings for Zapata, Del Rio, San Angelo, and Midland showed a strong push of moist air up from the Gulf of Mexico, spreading over Texas during the night. At dawn cumulus clouds were expected to start forming at Zapata and throughout the state. It looked as though the clouds would stay with us for the whole day.

The winds were predicted to continue blowing out of the southeast, as they had every day of our encampment. They wouldn't be wrapping around and coming from the south later in the day up near Uvalde, but rather stay straight south-southeast all day long.

When we got up before sunrise the cumulus clouds were forming right over the airport, just as predicted the night before. They continued to form in the early morning and this encouraged everyone to get to the airport early. We phoned Dustin Martin, who had flown 214 miles on the 16th and was still in Rocksprings. After his driver had turned around and left him he had been forced to spend the night sleeping in an abandoned storefront in his harness. He told us ruefully that the cu's were there and flying by over his head.

Although we pulled into the airport before eight that morning, we weren't sure when we should launch. One would hate to launch a little too early and miss the best day of the encampment by landing early in lift that was still too light. The weather conditions so far this year had not lived up to our high expectations, and we were really nervous about wasting a good day by making a bad decision.

Gary Osoba, my fellow WRE organizer, was bent on holding us back. Last year he had worked to get us going earlier each morning, but now he was worried that we were leaving too early in conditions that wouldn't keep us up.

We had been experimenting with our special Dragonfly, custom-built with an especially powerful engine. We were able to launch two hang gliders behind it, one of the pilots using a shorter rope to maintain separation.

Mark Poustinchian and I got into the air at 9:30 on a double tow to 6500 feet. I foot launched, hooked to the short rope on the right side of the airstrip, instead of taking off from the cart. There was a lot of tension about this early launch, and in the hurry and confusion I kicked my harness’ zipper, jamming it. After towing all the way up I had to dive back to the airport, land and fix the zipper.

Mark would land out near Laredo, so maybe that was a stroke of good luck for me. I didn't and still don't think of it that way.

Next up, Manfred and Paris Williams took a tow to cloudbase at 3300 feet and released at ten AM. The cloud base was the highest we'd had that year for so early in the morning — normally we would expect the clouds at that time to begin at two thousand feet or so. I waited on the ground for Bo Hagewood and Curt Warren and then Andre Wolf to tow. It was agony. I had wanted to be on course an hour earlier. I knew Manfred was ahead of me and that it would be hard to catch him.

My turn finally came at 10:30. But as I was pulled up I broke a weaklink at only 590 feet over the airport. No way did I want to land again, only to wait again for other pilots to launch in front of me. Kari Castle was all ready and waiting to launch next. I willed myself to stay up in the little dribbling thermal that was drifting quickly to the north away from the runway.

The clouds were streeted up — I could see six streets to my left in addition to the one over my head. All the streets were headed from Zapata right toward the Laredo airport and its controlled airspace. I knew I would have to circle up to near cloudbase, then immediately begin jumping streets to get to the east and around the airspace.

This was the first time during the 2001 WRE that we'd seen the kind of streeting that we had anticipated. As one of the WRE organizers I had been feeling very responsible for the unresponsive weather, and it was a great relief to finally see morning cloud streets.

Meanwhile Manfred and Paris were racing under and across the cloud streets as happy as pigs in mud, thinking that they had better get out there way in front. As they approached Laredo the streets and the clouds suddenly stopped and they had to put on the brakes. Quickly the race was not to the swift, but to the patient.

Continue reading here: https://OzReport.com/docs/EpilogueCloudsuck.pdf

Discuss "Cloudsuck, Epilogue" at the Oz Report forum   link»

The US National Champion, a history

Lots of Champions

The National Champion, a history

October 31, 2008, 8:40:32 PDT

A.I.R. ATOS VR|Bo Hagewood|Brian Porter|Bruce Barmakian|Campbell Bowen|Chris Arai|Curt Warren|Dave Sharp|Davis Straub|Dennis Pagen|Eric Raymond|Gerry Uchytil|Jim Lee|Joe Bostik|Larry Tudor|Mike Meier|Paris Williams|Quest Air|Rich Burton|Tom Lanning|Wills Wing T2C|Zac Majors

Mike Meier «Mike» writes:

This is a "complete" list of US National Hang Gliding Champions, as best I can compile it - with one exception - it contains no women champions. There were not that many years that a women's national champion was named, and I did not try to compile a list of those.

The list is complete, except for the glider that Mike Daily flew in 1986, which I could not find, and it is accurate to the best of my knowledge and ability to research it. I made only one assumption - that Campbell Bowen flew the same glider in the 2007 Nationals as he did in the Quest Air comp that immediately followed the Nationals. All of the other data listed is documented somewhere, Hang Gliding Magazine, the Oz Report, manufacturer web sites, etc. That does not guarantee that all the data is accurate, but it is all documented. Anyone who has conflicting information should, of course, comment on anything they think is not accurate.

The history of the title US National Champion in hang gliding is not, perhaps, as simple or as clean as one might prefer. As I mentioned above, there was a period (1983 - 1987) where the rules called for a single national champion, to be determined by CPS points, and during this period the winners of the U.S. Nationals competitions, in various classes, were supposed to have been designated as "Nationals Champions" (i.e. Champions of the Nationals), but that convention was not followed, in almost all cases, when the meets were reported in the media, so in those years we had additional "National Champions" beyond what the rules provided for.

Another source of possible confusion or complication is that the term US National Champion has been reserved for a US pilot, so in many cases, after the meet became international in its participation, the National Champion did not necessarily finish in first place in his class in the meet. In the list, I've added a column where I've listed the National Champion's finishing place in the meet, where I was able to determine that, when it was not a first place finish.
 

Year Pilot Site Class Glider (Place in meet)
2008 Zac Majors Lakeview, Oregon Flexwing Wills Wing T2C 144
2007 Campbell Bowen Florida Ridge, Florida Rigid Wing Air Atos VX
2007 Tom Lanning Florida Ridge, Florida Flexwing Moyes Litespeed S 4 5th
2007 Rodger Furrey Florida Ridge, Florida Sport Class Wills Wing U2 160 2nd
2006 Campbell Bowen Florida Ridge, Florida Rigid Wing Air Atos VX <1st
2006 Curt Warren Florida Ridge, Florida Flexwing Moyes Litespeed S 3rd
2005 Bruce Barmakian Quest Air, Florida Rigid Wing Air Atos VR
2005 Paris Williams Quest Air, Florida Flexwing Aeros Combat L 3rd
2004 Davis Straub Big Spring, Texas Rigid Wing Air Atos VX
2004 Curt Warren Big Spring, Texas Flexwing Moyes Litespeed S
2003 Bruce Barmakian Big Spring, Texas Rigid Wing Air Atos C
2003 Paris Williams Big Spring, Texas Flexwing Aeros Combat 2
2002 Bruce Barmakian Wallaby Ranch, Florida Rigid Wing (Class 5) Aeros Stalker 4th
2002 Brian Porter Wallaby Ranch, Florida Rigid Wing (Class 2) Bright Star Swift
2002 Paris Williams Wallaby Ranch, Florida Flexwing Icaro Laminar 3rd
2001 Brian Porter Hearne, Texas Rigid Wing Bright Star Swift 2nd
2001 Paris Williams Hearne, Texas Flexwing Icaro Laminar
2000 Brian Porter Lakeview, Oregon Rigid Wing Bright Star Swift
2000 Bo Hagewood Lakeview, Oregon Flexwing Wills Wing Fusion
1999 Brian Porter Quest Air, Florida Rigid Wing Utopia
1999 Jim Lee Quest Air, Florida Flexwing Wills Wing Fusion 5th
1998 Dave Sharp Dinosaur, Colorado Rigid Wing Flight Designs Exxtacy
1998 Chris Arai Dinosaur, Colorado Flexwing Wills Wing Fusion 3rd
1997 Chris Arai Lakeview, Oregon One Class Wills Wing Fusion
1996 Larry Tudor Dinosaur, CO One Class Wills Wing XC 3rd
1995 Chris Arai Chelan, WA One Class Wills Wing XC 2nd
1994 Chris Arai Mount Princeton, Colorado One Class Wills Wing RamAir
1993 Jim Lee Lakeview, Oregon One Class Wills Wing RamAir
1992 Brad Koji Telluride, Colorado One Class Wills Wing HP AT
1991 Tony Barton Owens Valley, California One Class UP TRX
1990 Bruce Case Dinosaur, Colorado One Class Wills Wing HP AT 2nd
1989 Brian Porter Dunlap, California One Class Odyssey
1988 Joe Bostik Chattanooga, Tennessee One Class Wills Wing Sport
1987 Joe Bostik Overall (on CPS points) Wills Wing HP II
1987 Howard Osterlund Owens Valley, California Meet Winner Airwave Magic IV
1986 Rick Rawlings Overall (on CPS points) Wills Wing HP
1986 Rick Rawlings Chelan, Washington World Wills Wing HP
1986 Mike Daily Chelan, Washington Sporting
1985 Rick Rawlings Overall (on CPS points) Wills Wing HP
1985 Rick Rawlings Chelan, Washington World Wills Wing HP
1985 Gerry Uchytil Chelan, Washington Sporting Airwave Magic
1984 Stew Smith Crestline, California Overall (on CPS points) Seedwings Sensor 510
1984 Rich Pfeiffer Crestline, California World Seedwings Sensor 510
1984 Terry Wilkins Crestline, California Sporting Wills Wing Duck
1983 Rick Rawlings Overall (on CPS points) Wills Wing Duck
1983 Chris Bulger Dunlap, California World Bennett Delta Wing Streak
1983 Lee Fisher Dunlap, California Sporting Seedwings Sensor 510
1982 Rich Burton Crestline, California Open UP Comet
1982 Rich Pfeiffer Crestline, California Flexwing Wills Wing Duck
1981 Fred Hutchinson Slide Mountain, Nevada Open Manta Fledgling IIB
1981 Rich Pfeiffer Slide Mountain, Nevada Flexwing Seedwings Sensor 510
1980 Rex Miller Ellenville, New York Open Manta Fledgling IIB
1980 Tom Haddon Ellenville, New York Flexwing UP Comet
1979 Eric Raymond Crestline, California One Class Manta Fledgling IIB
1978 Dennis Pagen Hyner View, Pennsylvania One Class Sky Sports Sirocco II
1976 Rob Reed Dog Mountain, Washington Standard Bennett Delta Wing 19/13
1976 Keith Nichols Dog Mountain, Washington Open ASG 21
1976 Ken Koklenski Dog Mountain, Washington Unlimited Manta Fledgling
1975 Dave Muehl Grandfather Mtn, North Carolina Overall Eipper 19 x 17
1975 Chris Price Grandfather Mtn, North Carolina Open Price Special
1975 Chris Wills Grandfather Mtn, North Carolina Advanced Standard Wills Wing Swallowtail
1975 Dave Muehl Grandfather Mtn, North Carolina Standard Eipper 19 x 17
1974 Bob Wills Escape Country, CA Flexwing Wills Wing Swallowtail
1974 Jack Schroeder Escape Country, CA Rigid Wing Eipper Quicksilver
1973 Chris Wills Sylmar, CA One Class Wills Wing

Samantha Helen Hagewood

August 10, 2008, 10:01:01 pm CDT

Samantha

Bo and Janna have a new child

Bo Hagewood

Bo Hagewood

Samantha Helen Hagewood, born to Janna and Bo Hagewood. 7 pounds, 2 oz. 8/6/2008

Congratulations on this future hang glider pilot.

Discuss Samantha at the Oz Report forum   link»

A good long ways

May 4, 2008, 12:34:47 pm EDT

Flying north

Get in the air and get going

Belinda Boulter|Bo Hagewood|Dustin Martin|Jon "Jonny" Durand jnr|Quest Air|Wills Wing T2C

The challenge is now always out there. The impossible distance, 283 miles (455 km) from Quest Air to almost South Carolina (would have been South Carolina if Chris Smith hadn't had it with driving). The big flight from Jonny and Dustin.

http://ozreport.com/11.083

http://ozreport.com/11.084#3

The forecast called for southeast winds in central Florida with the winds turning to the southwest up by Georgia late in the afternoon. Not a perfect forecast for a long flight, but a good one and well worth the try.

Belinda and I had just driven east from Casa Grande, Arizona and arrived at Quest Air on Friday afternoon. We spent the rest of Friday cleaning up the Arizona dust that had soaked through our trailer. It was great to be out on the grass, even though it was relatively dry here in Florida. Belinda was not ready to drive one more day. She was ready for a rest, as was I.

But the forecast was good and it looked like it wouldn't be that good for a long flight to the north for a week or so. So I got up early and got the Wills Wing T2C 144 setup and washed down, getting rid of a bit more of that Arizona dust. I had downloaded all the waypoints the night before, making sure I loaded a few extra ones to the north to keep me out of air space around Jacksonville and Savannah, if I got that far.

The cu's didn't show up too early which was okay by me as I still hadn't gathered up all the material needed for a long flight and I wasn't out to the launch area until 11 AM, about the same time that Jonny took off a year earlier. Overhead the cu's were scrawny but enough to indicate where to search for the lift.

Joe hauled me up and I released at 2,000' AGL in a ten mph wind out of the south southeast. There was a wispy nearby and soon I was able to find the light lift that would sustain me throughout the day. Bo Hagewood launched soon after I left, but landed back at Quest.

It seems that you always get low at first heading out from here and I was down to 1,100' just north of Groveland, but there were plenty of places to land if needed and I held on to the lift that got me to 3,800'. There were cu's ahead and around and the prospects were good for staying up. I thought I was seeing cloud streets.

Although the clouds looked inviting, I just couldn't get up to cloud base, until I got north up the Turnpike and the day turned on. I was cooking now, but I could see the cirrus above and thicker ahead, the sky was turning milky white above the cumulus clouds. My dark glasses were now too dark. From the Turnpike to almost Orange Lake I found good lift and raced between thermals. I had a long ways to go.

Near Hawthorne the cu's got thinner, but were still plentiful. There were trees every where beneath me, so I had to stay up and keep going to avoid poor landing areas. Just before I got to the big prison near Starke 100 miles out I was back down to 1,300' over chicken houses. The prison is situated in a large open area, so there were plenty of places to land near the highway and not behind any fences. I just stayed in the 270 fpm I found over the chicken houses to over 5,500', the highest of the flight. The wind was now out of the southwest.

The next turnpoint was at Macclenny just south of the Georgia border, and the farm land gives out up there, giving way to just forest plantations with areas of clear cut to land in. I was soon low again and I went back up wind to an area that looked reasonably landable. I was flying without my shoes, for the first time in a while, but that is not a good idea when flying over this part of Georgia, where the clear cut areas are full of slash piles.

Fortunately, I found lift over this somewhat landable area and that got me back up enough to make it to St. George where it looked I was going to land again in a clear cut area. I saw a nice grass field to the east and it looked like I could make it there. As I crossed the St. Mary's river back into Florida there was some fortunate lift, light, but enough to get me up again to find a better place to land. I was 145 miles out.

The wind was out of the west now at ten mph and I was hoping to go north. A few miles to the north the cu's stopped, the sky was completely white with thick mid level clouds. The road Y-ed with a branch heading to the northeast. There were trees every where.

Given the west wind I headed northeast. I was no longer gaining any distance away from Quest. When I found the next thermal the wind was out of the west northwest. I saw a grass airport a few miles to the north and decided that it didn't make any sense to keep going north.

After landing at the airport at 150 miles out, I discovered that it was closed to General Aviation (due to problems with the runway, there were X's on the north and south aprons). I had seen that there was fence all around it and the gates turned out to be locked. Belinda found someone nearby who opened up the gate for us.

The flight.

It was a long drive home, after a six and a half hour flight.

Flytec Sale

August 6, 2007, 10:12:51 pm CDT

Flytec

The Flytec Tug, Icaro Relax, and Motto Comm headsets.

Bo Hagewood|Dragonfly|Lisa Kain|record|Rhett Radford|Steve Kroop

Steve Kroop at Flytec USA «info» writes:

Flytec Tug Available after Worlds

If you are looking for a Dragonfly, the renowned Flytec Tug will be available after the Hang Gliding World Championship. This is one of the sweetest flying 4-cycle tugs out there, just ask any of the tug pilots that have flown it (Lisa Kain, Zach Woodall, Bo Hagewood, Rhett Radford, Joe Johnston). This tug is a part of recent hang gliding history having towed top pilots from around the world to competition victory and world records.

Equipment: Rotax 912S, custom exhaust system, Warp Drive prop, rear controls, BRS ballistic chute, Alpha MFD electronic instruments, Cockpit cover

Serious inquires: «info» or 800-662-2449

Relax 16 Deluxe available at the Worlds

The most fun you can have in a hang glider, so easy to fly (and tow) it will make you giggle. The fit and finish on the Relax is un-matched by any single surface glider (read about it here: http://ozreport.com/8.068). This one is yellow with speed bar, airfoil down tubes and kingpost. No Hours, has been test flown only. Interested?.... «info» or 800-662-2449

Motto Comm Headsets

A few pilot have contacted me to bring them headsets to Big Spring. I will be bringing some extras but if anyone wants one reserved they should let me know immediately.

Flytec Race of Champions, Day One

Mon, Apr 23 2007, 10:24:11 pm EDT

Flytec

A fast cross wind task.

Bo Hagewood|cart|Dustin Martin|Flytec Race of Champions 2007|Jon "Jonny" Durand jnr|Kraig Coomber|PG|Quest Air

The flight and the task.

The Flytec Race of Champions is on and it is on for the money. Each day the first three pilots to goal get the money and the pilots at the back of the field get cut.

More about it and real time updates are found here: http://flytec.com/race. You'll find pictures, pilot profiles, audio updates from the air, results, and pictures of Gugga's broken corner bracket on his Moyes Litespeed that caused lots of excitement at launch today (he was unhurt).

There are twenty three pilots in the Flytec Race of Champions all flying for fun and a share of $10,000. We've brought in Phil Bloom from LA, Mikey Barber from Wallaby Ranch, and Bo Hagewood, to go with a good number of the pilots who competed in the Flytec Championships. The bottom seven pilots get cut after the first day.

The day showed 11-15 mph east winds and the cu's were thin to non existent, so we decided to head to the northwest a bit of a cross wind task to Williston. The forecast was for 500-600 fpm lift, so even without clouds we should be able to do such a task. It would have been a bit too difficult to head upwind toward the lakes.

It was windy at launch but it didn't seem so bad and the launches went well for the most part. Gugga panicked every one when he came off the cart and his base bar bracket broke off (see URL above for the pictures), and only the safety string on his vario was holding the one side of the base tube to the down tube. He went up 60-70 feet when the weak link broke as he locked out. The glider turned around and he crashed down wind into the tree near launch 30 feet up. He then crashed through the tree to the ground and came up waving his arms as the EMT's rushed to him. The glider took the impact.

The rest of us were getting up in blue skies with strong lift and being blown quickly west down wind. We would work our way back east and then drift while thermaling up. Now the smart guys were working their way to the north west on the course line and the edge of the start cylinder to get ready to go for the 2:15 PM start time.

I was just trying to stay up and not get blown down wind too far so even though I knew where to go, I wasn't focused on it. It wasn't clear that there would be lift out there (no clouds) and whether one would be on one's own or not. Better to hang with Primoz half way out to the edge of the circle and not get blown away.

I figured that my mind wasn't working at all (it didn't during the last meet), so I might as well use the other pilots' minds (follow their actions). Primoz was right there and I could thermal with him and glide with him so I might as well let him do the thinking (as long as I could).

I may have lost him (hard to remember now), but at three minutes before the start window opened I finally saw the four or five smart guys circling due north of me. I was high at 5,000 but knew I had to hustle out to the edge of the start cylinder to get a reasonable start time. I was behind the eight ball, but better to be there than where all the rest of the pilots were (which was south and west of me downwind).

The start window opened and the lead gaggle didn't immediately race off. They hadn't been climbing so well so they were tentative. They continued working lift after getting back inside the start cylinder. We found lift upwind of them, quite a bit below them, and while it was weak at 280 fpm, they weren't going any where so it was worth it to stay there and climb up.

Finally the blessed six (including Jonny and Kraig), headed straight north against that strong east wind. After a few turns a couple of us followed along. We were jumping across lift streets if there were any lift streets. Seven kilometers out the lead guys began to search for the core and with just enough time to let us catch them as they started up in a thermal that averaged 440 fpm just east of Center Hill. Much better.

With those guys just above us now we all headed north for another seven kilometer glide and a 500 fpm thermal southwest of the Okahumpka rest stop on the Florida Turnpike that again got us all near each other but with Hans and I a little bit lower than the hot guys on top. At 5,500' we all raced off.

Hans was moving fast just to my right and getting lower. Kraig and Jonny as well the other four were higher and approaching the turnpike from the south just east of the highway 301 overpass that goes into Wildwood. We were approaching some small lakes on their down wind side. We were not finding any lift. Suddenly the pilot in the lead turned upwind and headed to the upwind side of the lakes. The other guys on top followed.

Hans was falling fast and heading northwest. I was above him but lower than the leaders and didn't see the advantage of going upwind from my position. I turned and looked at Hans. He had just hit 700 fpm. I raced to him while the rest of the gaggle couldn't see him as they headed upwind and away from us.

Hans' thermal averaged over 500 fpm to 5,500'. We watched the guys who had dominated us climb slowly way upwind of us. It was time to run and race.

Hans and I together raced off to the intersection of the Turnpike and I75. I knew that this was right on the course line. There were three pilots circling under the cloud above us when we came into the thermal and Primoz was right there with us. It was 550 fpm to 5,700' while the Brazilian pilots above us disappeared to the north. We were now on our own.

We headed northwest on the west side of I75. The wind was 11 mph out of the west northwest.

It took 21 km, and turning in a bit of nothing, so find the next good thermal that averaged 530 fpm from 2,500' to 6,700', a 1000' higher than we had been before. We are all helping each other just by flying in the same area. We didn't see anyone else. We were right on the northwest course line heading for Williston.

The next thermal was 600 fpm back to over 6,000' and we were all there after spreading out to find it under a wee wisp of a cloud. Now there was a decision to make. There was a large blue hole before the goal and two sets of clouds out ahead. The ones on the left looked more firmly packed and that's where Hans, who was now on top, was heading. The ones on the right were thinner, but there were a few more of them further north also. Perhaps a few more chances for lift. Primoz was headed in that direction. I was in the middle.

After a few kilometers I decided to stick with Primoz as I felt the clouds there had the best chance (turns out either would have worked). We came in under the clouds and I found 425 fpm to 6,300'. Primoz was over me and climbing also.

This was the end of the clouds except a few wisps just ahead. I was right on the course line. We were 26 kilometers from the goal and it was awfully blue out there. I headed for the wisps.

Now one of the wisps had turned into a small cloud just to my right but I decided to continue to the other very thin wisps which were just ahead and not divert even a little. Perhaps a mistake (one I have made many times).

The wisps disappeared as I got near them 17 kilometers out, but I went right to where they were. There was a brown east/west field under me as I got there. The lift was still there (as the wisps had just disappeared). It was 385 fpm to 5,700'. My Flytec 5030 said I had the goal by 2,000' if I found the lift/sink to be neutral on the 17 kilometer final glide.

It averaged 400 fpm down all the way to goal. I made the edge of the 400 meter cylinder with 250'. Hans (Aeros Combat) was the first pilot into goal. I was second (Wills Wing T2 - 144) and Primoz (Aeros Combat) was third.

Dustin and Paris were next. Kraig Coomber landed 80 meters short of goal and had radioed back to Jonny and Phil to slow down as he had hit too much sink. Just a little bit of lift and he would have made it in.

The results will be tallied to determine who is cut. We were in the money. This sure helps my fund raising efforts here at the Oz Report.

Hans did the course in two hours. It was 109 kilometers.

Your editor with a fist full of cash at the goal. Photo thanks to Michael Cosner.

Discuss "Flytec Race of Champions, Day One" at the Oz Report forum   link»  

Spectacular - looking for former instructors

Wed, Mar 21 2007, 10:12:10 am EDT

Spectacular

The really big reunion.

beer|Bo Hagewood|David Glover|Jim Prahl|John Ryan|Kitty Hawk Kites Spectacular 2007|Paris Williams|William Vaughn

William Vaughn «billyfly» writes:

Thanks for plugging the 35th annual Hang Gliding Spectacular at Kitty Hawk Kites this May 18-21. As usual, the Fun Zone will be in full swing, and we’ll commit low and slow aviation that is the root of all hang gliding. It’s always a kick-in-the-pants good time, but this year will be a bigger deal than usual: We’re putting together what promises to be the biggest instructor reunion ever.

We’ve contacted over 120 current and former KHK instructors, and most of them are making plans to attend. Former KHK instructors include such luminaries as Jim Johns (formerly of Western Hang Gliding in Marina, CA), John Ryan (formerly of the Hang Gliding Center of San Diego), Matt Tabor of Lookout Mountain, Steve Wendt of BlueSky, as well as past national champions Tom Haddon, Paris Williams and Bo Hagewood. Even famous meet-head David Glover was a KHK instructor. The instructor alumni web site is http://www.khkalumni.com/. Hopefully the word will spread and your readers will help us locate more of the 200 or so former instructors still listed as “missing.”

Discuss "Spectacular - looking for former instructors" at the Oz Report forum   link»  

Almost Georgia

September 24, 2006, 8:05:58 PDT

Georgia

Bo and Campbell almost get to Georgia from Quest Air

Bo Hagewood|Quest Air

Bo Hagewood|Oleg Bondarchuk|Quest Air

Bo Hagewood|Oleg Bondarchuk|Quest Air

Bo Hagewood «bokodi» writes:

Georgia ! The last week in September ! We had to be dreaming ! Cambell and I had the dream and it almost came true.

I had a very reflective five hour flight during which time I got to thank God and all my hang gliding buddies for getting me thru the last two and half years and enabling me to continue flying. I'm happy to announce that I'm almost back to full strength, or full weakness depending on your point of view. I've been very fortunate to get to live here at Quest for all these years, " Thanks Frank Menefee !".

Well I came up thirty miles short, at least I had a no step, soft landing. Campbell managed to avoid triggers all day and made it to within twelve miles of the state line. I'm convinced somebody out there could have made it.

So come on down and take a life renewing flight from Quest air, I've got a couple of Oleg's Combat for sale.

Discuss Georgia at the Oz Report forum

Big Spring - playing with little cu-nimbs »

August 13, 2006, 10:01:28 CDT

Big Spring last day

We call a shorter task on a day that is hard to call.

Andrew "Drew" Harris|Attila Bertok|Belinda Boulter|Big Spring 2006|Blue Sky|Bo Hagewood|Campbell Bowen|Dave Giles|David Glover|dust devil|Jim Yocom|Jon "Jonny" Durand jnr|Jon Durand jnr|Mark Stump|Mike Glennon

The flight and task on the HOLC and on Google Maps/Earth

Results

On Saturday, the last day of the pre-Worlds, US Single Surface National, US Sport Class Nationals, and Rigid Wing Big Spring Open started with a spot landing contest. Talk about fun and a great show for the local folks. Seppi won the pre-Worlds spot landing contest landing on the cone while I came in twenty feet behind him and had to go to the side to avoid hit him. Mike Glennon was second and Jonny Durand third. Chris Cheney, the only local Big Spring pilot, won the Sport Class, David Duke, the Single Surface class, and Campbell Bowen, in his first foot landing on his AIR ATOS VXR, the rigid wing class. I got five spot landing flights on the WW Falcon 3 - 170, but wasn't in the competition as you had to fly in class, but had two landings within three feet of the spot, beating David Glover in the competition between the co-meet directors.

It sure was great to fly the WW Falcon just for fun and whip it around and come in fast in as much ground effect as you can on a single surface glider. The trick of spot landing well is to get your glider in ground effect at high speed well in advance and then use the stability of ground effect and the speed as control and power to put yourself at the spot.

Most pilots only took one spot landing flight, but I kept going back for more racing with the ultra light Falcon back to the waiting tugs that would pull me to 500' for another attempt. The sky was dark with heavy clouds and we had a little bit of rain earlier, and it was cool enough to make it very comfortable with a five mph south wind.

While there were thick mid level clouds over us, but it was clear to the west so there was hope. The task committee met right during the pilot meeting held a bit later around 11 AM and called a 68 mile task to the north northeast not knowing whether we would have any lift, but hoping to allow us to dribble down wind. We put the launch time back to 1:30.

As the launch time approached the mid level clouds moved east away from us and cu's began to fill in from the south. It was clear to the northeast with just a few dapples of forming cu's. We wondered what would be our fate as the day was so unsettled.

After a weaklink break at 500' for me we all climbed up under the cu's that were forming over the airport and soon were at cloud base at 9,000'. Very quickly the sky was filling with cu's and to the northwest a few of the cu's had already begun to tower. But we were stuck, already so quickly at cloud base and ready to go, but almost required to wait forty five minutes until 2:30 to start the race. Oh, but for a chance to remake that now stupid decision to call a one hour launch window for a mere six pilots who got off in five minutes, even with the weaklink break. Still it looked clear to the north northeast and there was a chance.

Finally, we released ourselves and having scattered before the start window time, I headed north to the northeast edge of the cloud street and to the east of the little bits of rain showers and virga. There was plenty of sunshine and blue sky to the east.

Dave Giles was over to the west under the darkest clouds and near the virga high and racing back to the start circle as he had to go outside to get up. He would stay high the rest of the flight. On the other hand  after a twelve mile glide I was at 1,700' AGL searching for lift at the edge of the clouds. Fortunately, it was where I was searching.

I could see virga and dust devils a few miles to my west, but I was quite a bit west of the course line already and wanted to stay near the edge of the clouds in case I needed to run from the conditions. After getting up, the lift improved and I joined Ollie as we headed toward Gail half way to goal. We noticed Mark Stump way off to our west under the clouds deciding to land.

In spite of the presence of cu-nimbs nearby the air felt great, so unlike Monday when we continued to fly near a cu-nimb that was many orders of magnitude larger than what we experienced on this day. The lift was solid and not over whelming.

Ollie didn't find any lift at Gail as I headed in a different direction and climbed out quickly. Now there were three or four small rain showers to the west and virga to the northwest. I kept to the east side of the clouds, but well west of the course line.

Belinda was driving out in front of me and reporting that Jim Yocom was low a few miles in front under the dark clouds. I tried to run to the northwest to get on the west side of the clouds but after three miles noticed that there was an even thicker cylinder of rain between that direction and the goal. I turned back to the northeast to run for eight miles to get around a small cylinder of virga.

The lift was good under the dark clouds and I stayed well below them. It was easy to get around the virga and then I headed right toward the goal from fourteen miles out on the west side of another small patch of virga getting a little wet in the process.

I had Belinda at goal telling me that the main rain was five miles to the west, which I could also see, and that the conditions at goal were benign. It was all in the shade for the last fifteen miles and I wanted to be sure I was a long ways away from cloud base as at first I had plenty of lift. We had been over rough land for almost the whole flight, but the airport was just over the lip. You wanted to get to the airport to have an easy landing.

It was benign at the airport with just enough wind to make for an easy landing. Dave Giles was already there and Bo Hagewood, who started at 2:00 PM ignoring the flex wing start time at 3:00 PM, was right behind me. Soon flex wings were pouring in behind me.

Attila Bertok, who was leading the meet, won the day. The conditions stayed benign at the airport, but darkened considerably behind us along the course. This cut off pilots who were later or slower. Many pilots landed or flew back to Big Spring because of the conditions that they encountered.

There was serious discussion after the fact about the safety of the conditions. Drew Harris, the safety director, and David Glover were continually in contact with pilots and drivers during the task and, unlike in Florida during the Worlds, they didn't stop the task as they were getting word that pilots were safely negotiating the conditions. For me it was always easy to run off to the east and land if things got out of whack.

Later Attila, who did not like the conditions and complained at goal about how we should not have flown in the conditions, was easily persuaded to protest the day and the protest committee ruled the day invalid for the pre-World class. The task counted for the other competitions.

For me the day felt much better than Monday and while it was very exciting because of the presence the rain showers and the cu-nimbs, the air was a pleasure to fly in. The fact that there was, or at least it seemed to me there was, an escape, while on Monday the cu-nimb was just too big and there were others squeezing us from the west.

Belinda took this shot earlier in the meet. Click for higher resolution version.

Wills Wing Falcon 3 »

July 17, 2006, 3:59:42 pm CDT

Falcon

A new version of its single surface classic.

Bo Hagewood|Lawrence "Pete" Lehmann|Pete Lehmann|record|Steven "Steve" Pearson

I've talked Wills Wing into letting me borrow their new single surface glider to make an attempt for a new single surface record here in Zapata. We'll see if I can carry off this difficult task given that Bo Hagewood went 178 miles last year here on Pete Lehmann's WW Falcon 195 (which was too big for him).

Steve and Rob sent me a Wills Wing Falcon 170 assuring me that it could easily handle my weight - 180 pounds. much better than the Falcon 170 or Falcon 2 170. We'll see.

The new Falcon 3 breaks down into a package six feet long, but I don't know if all that is worked out yet. It came on a truck to me short packed which is twelve feet, six inches. I just popped in the outboard leading edges.

Looking at all the tubes it is semi-clear how it breaks down to the six foot length for travel on the airplane. Steve Pearson of Wills Wing writes:

So there will be a few small changes to the hardware, sail and packaging over the coming months to make the short-pack procedure less of a hassle.

There is a nose cone, Mylar leading edges, and "flip tip" battens. The dive stick sits under a transverse batten to hold up the sail. The one I get to use came with the Slipstream control frame.

The glider looks clean and I look forward to flying it.

Zapata Journal - Saturday and Sunday

July 9, 2006, 7:45:20 pm CDT

Zapata

The WRE starts

Bo Hagewood|Dragonfly|Lawrence "Pete" Lehmann|Manfred Ruhmer|news|Pete Lehmann|record|Russell "Russ" Brown|weather

We left Junction, Texas, 250 air miles to the north of Zapata on Saturday morning with low cloud streets. They quickly filled in with higher mid level clouds also. It was dry until we get about twenty miles south of Uvalde, 160 air miles from Zapata. It was green beside the road from north of Crystal Springs all the way to Zapata. Where was this drought that the drought monitor told us about http://www.drought.unl.edu/dm/monitor.html. It was awfully green from the recent rains, after the middle of June.

We got set up at the Lakefront Lodge, near the lake, and by 7 PM, the thunderstorm was here with two inches of rain in the next half hour. The rain was blowing sideways and it felt like the edge of the hurricane that we got here last year.

Sunday morning, and the over running started at 8 AM with the thick clouds streeting up by 9:30 AM. The winds were strong out of the southeast all day, and the cu's were thick until around 6 PM. Cloud base was low though, especially in the morning, at only 1,500' MSL (1,100' AGL) at 10:30 AM. Too much water in the ground suppressing the thermals.

The seven day forecast looks good with dry conditions and good winds from the south southeast http://ozreport.com/txweather.php.

We spent Sunday morning setting up a Dragonfly and our gliders. Manfred Ruhmer, Pete Lehmann, Bo Hagewood and I are here to set world records. Bo's first job is to be the tug pilot. I wonder who is going to tow him up. Maybe Russell Brown will stay here for a couple of days.

Monday is looking very good.

Swift World Ranking

June 14, 2006, 3:18:41 pm EDT

Swifts

Who's in last place?

Bo Hagewood|CIVL|Kevin Carter|World Pilot Ranking Scheme

http://civlrankings.fai.org/?a=326&ladder_id=2

Kevin Carter, Bo Hagewood (who flew one day at the Worlds) and Mark Mullholland are all tied for last place in the WPRS ranking with 1 point a piece. Okay, I'm rubbing it in a little, but I must say that Mark was very much a gentlemen this year at the Worlds and we actually enjoyed (for the most part) having him there.

Just a little good natured fun, at his expense. It's great to see that he has recovered so well from his accident at the Worlds four years ago.

East Coast Championship - Day 6/Task 5 »

Fri, Jun 9 2006, 8:50:55 pm EDT

ECC

The day looks really good, like the first day.

Bo Hagewood|Bubba Goodman|Davis Straub|East Coast Championships 2006|George Stebbins|Greg Dinauer|Highland Aerosports Flight Park|Jamie Shelden

The Results

The task and flight for open class at the HOLC and on Google Earth and Google Maps. .

With only a few mid level clouds in sight it looks like the day might live up to its forecasted billing of lift of 500 fpm at 2 PM and 400 fpm at 5 PM. The wind is supposed to pick up though going from 8 knots to 17 at 5 PM from the west as a cold front approaches. Cloud base is forecast to over 5,000' but each day it has been less.

A set of mid level clouds did come over just as I launched and Bo, Jamie, Jeff, Lauren, I and other pilots all had to join together in the one thermal over the runway as we climbed at 150 fpm to 4,000'. With a 8 km start window we had a little more room to deal with the 11 mph 290 degree wind.

The clouds were clearing out over the airport but there were a some over Greensboro and some to the north of our course line still inside the start circle. I went north and found more weak lift but eventually had to drift outside the start circle to clouds two and a half miles outside the start circle.

The clouds were completely gone between me and seven mile back by the airport and there was a cu-nimb forming way off to the north west. It was already blowing moisture out its top. It looked like a dead zone by the airport and it looked like anyone still on the ground was screwed. I found out later they were thinking the same thing.

I hung around in the clouds keeping track of Bo and Greg as they pushed back to get inside the start circle to get the first start time. A bunch of pilots had already drifted down the course line not getting the start time.

Finally I saw Bo and Greg turning inside the start circle and at four minutes before the 2 PM start time I decided to head back from 2.3 miles outside the start circle at 3,900'. Getting the start circle puts me down to 2,600' but a small cu forms right next to me as I come back and with Bo and Greg I climbed out to 3,000' and then to 3,700'. We were on our way.

It looked like to us that we were the only pilots to get the start time. It would turn out that six pilots would get the second start time with late launches in the blue, where they found 400 fpm and had an unexpected good time.

Thinking that we were the only pilots to get a start time we took our time heading down the course line to the first and only turnpoint 17 miles out. There were clouds every where now and a cu-nimb building behind us. I wanted to be sure to outrun the outflow from the top of the cu-nimb.

There was a forecast for convergence in the center of the state, and it sure seemed like we got to it when we got to the turnpoint. The cu's were thick and the lift good. Greg and I had lost Bo when Bo headed out ahead and got low.

It was a quick race as I pulled away in the better lift and higher cloud base. Getting to 5,200' in 500 fpm fifteen miles from goal. It was final glide time.

The goal was close to the eastern shore and the mixing of the onshore south eastern flow with the northwest wind caused plenty of turbulence coming into the goal which was out in the middle of country no where land. With a one mile goal cylinder pilots were encouraged to land any where they wanted to not put any land owner in a tizzy. But four pilots did land with one grumpy farmer who owned 7,000' acres. They walked across the street and the sheriff didn't show up.

We landed around 4 PM. By 5 PM the cu-nimbs covered the sky and it was raining hard by the shore.

Results for the day:

Place Name Glider Time Total
1 Straub Davis Air Atos - Vr 01:43:25 1000
2 Dinauer Greg Aeros Combat L 02:03:34 803
3 Lanning Tom Moyes Litespeed S4 02:00:01 771
4 Goodman Bubba Wills Wing T2 02:01:57 753
5 Zanetti Marcello Moyes Litespeed S5 02:02:43 744
6 Hagewood Bo Aeros Combat L 02:14:17 732
7 Tjaden Paul Wills Wing T2 02:11:21 698
8 Cizauskas Rich Aeros Combat L 02:16:56 670
9 O Brien Jeff Wills Wing Talon Out Of Time 482

Totals so far:

Place Name Glider Total
1 Straub DavisAir Atos - Vr 3194
2 Dinauer GregAeros Combat L 2489
3 Lanning TomMoyes Litespeed S4 2489
4 Zanetti MarcelloMoyes Litespeed S5 2303
5 O Brien JeffWills Wing Talon 1977
6 Cizauskas RichAeros Combat L 1903
7 Goodman BubbaWills Wing T2 1862
8 Hagewood BoAeros Combat L 1768
9 Stebbins GeorgeMoyes Litespeed 5S 1419
10 Tjaden PaulWills Wing T2 1401

Discuss "East Coast Championship - Day 6/Task 5" at the Oz Report forum   link»  

Jim Rooney »

June 3, 2006, 10:31:57 EDT

Jim

Walk and talking, but not running

Bo Hagewood|Highland Aerosports Flight Park|Jim Lamb|Jim Rooney|video

Jim's back at Highland Aerosports from New Zealand after his stay in the hospital there after not hooking in when he was doing a tandem at Queenstown and falling fifty feet after the glider smacked into power lines (the passenger was okay with minor burns). There is lots of material on Jim in the Oz Report and on the Oz Report forum. Do a little searching if you want to check it out.

I've put a video of Jim's crash (he spent the thirteen seconds of the flight trying to climb up into the control frame) up on the Oz Report Radio web server and it should be available soon.

Jim seems like a reasonable representation of himself here, no longer walking with a cane. Sure makes you feel good about the human body's capability to be repaired and repair itself. Bo Hagewood is another example of this - he is doing much much better. Makes me feel that Jim Lamb will come back better than ever.

Swift Worlds appear to be valid

May 10, 2006, 10:42:11 EDT

Worlds

CIVL allows for an increase in team size so that rigid wing pilots can fly to make the Swift class valid.

Bo Hagewood|CIVL|Kevin Carter|Quest Air

The CIVL Bureau has allowed the Worlds meet organizers to increase the team size in order to allow a couple of ATOS pilots to fly in the Swift Class and thereby make the Worlds a valid World Championship for the Swift Class. I hear that Bo Hagewood and Kevin Carter will be flying ATOSes against the Swifts.

Bo gets the cash

April 3, 2006, 1:20:34 pm EDT

Bo

Go 120 miles in a single surface glider get $1000.

Bo Hagewood|Quest Air

Bo Hagewood|Campbell Bowen|Quest Air



Click above for a higher resolution version

Campbell Bowen gets the cash to Bo fast. Now he's put up another $1,500 for a single surface flight of 130 miles from Quest Air.

Discuss Bo at the Oz Report forum

Bo's flight »

April 1, 2006, 0:17:34 EST

Bo's flight

He finds the southerly winds

Bo's flight on the HOLC and on Google Earth. 100 miles out Bo finally hit the southerly breeze and headed straight north down wind. As soon as he climbed above 6,000' the wind went from 113 degrees to 186 degrees.

Discuss Bo's flight at the Oz Report forum

Bo goes 120 miles in Aeros Target

March 31, 2006, 7:23:50 pm EST

Bo

Bo sets the new Florida state (and we think East Coast) single surface record

Aeros Target|Belinda Boulter|Bo Hagewood|Campbell Bowen|dust devil|Lauren Tjaden|Paul Tjaden|Quest Air|record|Tom Lanning

Bo Hagewood flew 120 miles today to the north northwest in an east southeast wind, winning the $1,000 from Campbell Bowen for the first single surface flight over 100 miles out of Quest Air (or any where in Florida for that matter). Bo previously had the state record 78 miles, and, of course, he owns the single surface World Record at 178.6 miles.

I'll have Bo's flight up tomorrow. He's currently getting retrieved up by Lake City. We'll get him to write up his story.

Campbell Bowen on hearing of Bo's feat, opened a new contest for $1,500 for the first single surface flight of 130 miles out of Quest Air. Will Bo be back in the saddle tomorrow? It actually looks like a good day for a triangle flight.

I flew 80 miles in the Wills Wing Falcon 170 setting the new state record before Bo broke it. I landed at 4:00 PM finally finding a cloud that didn't have any lift associated with it. The lift had been consistent for me all day and I was able to find it without any problem just keeping an eye on the clouds.

So until Bo's flight, here's mine on the HOLC and here on Google Earth.

While we wait for Bo's story, here's how the day went. The forecast was for east south east winds 10-13 mph, but turning south up by the west coast to our north. We figured that if we could just get far enough north to begin with, that we could get in the south flow and go far.

Bo was first off before noon while I had to wait a few minutes for my harness to get back with Belinda. I had forgotten and left it in the truck. Paul Tjaden, Greg Dinnaur, and Tom Lanning launched then me, followed by Lauren Tjaden, Tom again, four times, and Dave Cameron.

The cu's started forming around 9:30 AM and while the wind forecast wasn't great the lift forecast was for 500 fpm. Cu's were expected but just barely, but as has been the case this spring, the cu's were there in full force when the forecast is for barely, and there a bit when there is no chance at all for cu's, unless the wind is out of the north.

Bo got off low and worked his way out to the northwest. Tom landed just before I took out to the east, and in spite of Tom's bad example, I also pinned off early at 1,100' and worked my way west northwest, just trying to stay up in the light lift.

It apparently was a struggle for everyone or they just liked following me as I was out ahead and low drifting over highway fifty where it intersects the Green Swamp seven miles to the west northwest of Quest Air. It was a very slow climb but I finally got over 4,000' and the four topless gliders that were with me headed to the northwest toward Center Hill, while after I got up said no way and headed north northeast in an attempt to set myself to get around Lake Panasoftkee about thirty miles out.

Jumping streets, but being careful, I was able to go cross wind to get to Coleman, and cut across the top of the swamp northeast of Panasoftkee and find a good thermal at 1,200' AGL in the first dry fields of the flight just to the north of highway 47 and west of interstate 75..

The lift started to improve and now that I was free of the first obstacle I could go downwind as long as I stayed east of the Withlacoochie River and then east of a mangrove swamp to the northwest. With lots of open cultivated field below it was easy flying.

I was west of the Ocala Airport and west of Williston, two turnpoints that we use in our meets in Florida. I was headed for the Panhandle.

Just before 4 PM I topped out at 4.900' and seeing another swamp to my west headed north to get under some black clouds. Unfortunately, they were the first clouds that I had run into that weren't working. There was a dust devil a few miles to the north, but over an unlandable area. I headed due west to get under some forming clouds, but it was too late.

I landed next to a kindergarten and got to tell the kids all about flying.

One thing that was very cool about today's flying for me was feeling out the lift and flying upwind to find the better cores. I really had a good feel for where the lift was and when I'd get near it I'd really focus on how the wings felt and where they were telling me to find the lift. Worked almost every time.

The flights today on the HOLC

Bo »

March 9, 2006, 5:25:19 pm EST

Bo

Twenty seven miles

Thought he was a god, which can happen with a twenty mph tail wind.

Discuss Bo at the Oz Report forum

Bo goes for the 100 mile single surface flight

March 9, 2006, 12:40:54 EST

100 miles

Bo is on a 180 sq.ft. Aeros Target in 20+ mph winds

Bo Hagewood|Campbell Bowen|Dr. John "Jack" Glendening|Quest Air|record

We've been watching the forecast for today for the last couple of days:



Strong and perfect for a record attempt. The Dr. Jack and FSL forecast was for not clouds, but no resolutely so, and so the first cu's appeared at 9 AM and the streets were well formed at 9:30 AM:



Click for higher resolution version.

Bo took off just before noon. He only needed to go 100 miles to earn $1000 from Campbell Bowen and Quest Air. Bo was the only one with enough courage to fly on this day. It was 20 mph, seven feet above the runway, gusting to 24 mph. I really think it wasn't that re safety. Bo had a fine foot launch and we didn't notice any trouble on tow. This would be a perfect day in Zapata and we would all be going for it.

Discuss 100 miles at the Oz Report forum

US Aeros

February 27, 2006, 9:03:41 EST

Aeros

Bo will be flying Paris' glider

Bo Hagewood|Steve Daleo

Steve Daleo «steve» writes:

The revamped Aeros website is now live www.flyaeros.com. We’ve added a lot of new content with much more to come in the next few weeks.

We’re also very excited to announce that Bo Hagewood will be returning to competition in Florida flying a Combat L for Aeros. Bo has been flying quite well after recovering from his injury and we’re looking forward to seeing him back among the leaders in Florida!

Discuss Aeros at the Oz Report forum

Scooter Tow Clinic, part ten

February 27, 2006, 9:02:43 EST

Scooter

Just who came to the clinic?

Allen Sparks|Bob Lane|Bo Hagewood|Jeff Beck|John Matylonek|Lisa Kain|Michael Robertson|Pat Denevan|Quest Air|Rob Kells|scooter tow|Steve Kroop|Steve Prepost|Steve Wendt|USHGA

Steve Wendt, Michael Robertson, Pat Denevan, Billy Vaughn, Matt Taber, Allen Sparks, Jim Proehl, Bo Hagewood, Mike Brown, Rob Kells, Steve Kroop, Bob Lane, Tracey Tillman, Lisa Colletti, Jeff Beck, James Gardner, John Matylonek, Jeff Nicolay, Steve Prepost, and Aric Paulson.

Rob Kells «Rob» writes:

I have begun promoting the idea to aerotow flight parks that they will likely double their student sign-ups for lesson packages if they do some training hill or scooter tow before going tandem.

Think about this; ten years ago we had about 8500 HG members, and now we have something like 5500. Over that same period, due to aerotow flight parks, I'll bet there were (at least) 20 to 50 times more tandems than in the previous ten years. Could it be that those that seek out HG instruction are being scared away by the very method we all thought would revolutionize instruction. I think the answer is yes!

Michael Robertson «info» writes:

I'm quite sure a series of low powered stationary winch clinics with Condors will help the sport. Especially in helping new instructors get started. I think assistance from the USHGA is good, especially in promoting what we're doing, but I've always felt these things should be self-supporting.

Steve Kroop at Flytec USA «flytec» writes:

I am all for seeing more scooter instruction and I absolutely agree that scooter training has great advantages for aerotow flight parks. I, however, caution against an expectation of doubling the number of students.

I totally get what Rob is saying but I do not believe that we are loosing as many prospective students as suggested. I think that there are pilot types and there are non-pilot types. Scooter towing will help get people to take more than one flight (i.e., hang 1 package) but I think the ones that want to become “pilots” (i.e., proceed to H2 and higher) will do do so regardless of the training method.

I do agree that the slower altitude progression of scooter training well help with the altitude timid students. But, look at how many H1s KHK churns out compared to the number that stay with it to the H2/H3 level.

What will make more pilots is broadening our reach - more instructors in areas that lack instruction. Scooter towing can do this.

Lisa Kain at Quest Air «questair» writes:

While I still need to get approval from the Quest owners, I'm on board. Having a virtual training hill would be incredibly beneficial to our students. For the obvious reasons, scooter towing fills in some important gaps for Quest Air. For a variety of reasons many of our seasoned pilots request additional approach and landing instruction, and scooter towing can provide a more efficient and cost-effective solution to AT pattern tows.

Naturally, if scooter towing can double the number of students who want to solo our business will benefit greatly. For us, caution is necessary when pitting the much cheaper intro scooter tow flights against intro aerotow tandems. If we don't see more signups, we may only price ourselves out of the intro AT sales while recruiting the same (hopefully) number of students. I'm sure we'll find a balance between offering scooter tows and minimizing the risk of lost revenues until we get some first-hand results.

From helping with the clinic signups I know that most who didn't sign up could have attended if travel expenses were covered. Just two had time constraint issues. I heard Steve Wendt and Matt Taber suggest requiring a refundable deposit, which I think would have helped with the last-minute cancellations and no-show.

To increase membership I agree that USGHA support is critical, and I believe scooter towing is an incredibly promising part of that effort.

Scooter Tow Clinic, part eight

February 23, 2006, 9:29:04 EST

Scooter Tow

Best thing the USHGA has done for instructors in twenty plus years (maybe the only thing)

Allen Sparks|Bo Hagewood|John Matylonek|Michael Robertson|Pat Denevan|scooter tow|Steve Wendt|USHGA

william vaughn «billyfly» writes:

I'm really optimistic about the future of scooter towing (specifically using the Condor for first day students), and I think that the recent clinic (and hopefully others to follow) is the best thing the national organization has done for instructors in my 20+ years in hang gliding. Thanks for pushing it all in a good direction.

Allen Sparks «allensparks» writes:

The clinic was an extraordinary learning experience for me. In particular, it was a distinct and very memorable privilege to witness the considerable knowledge and instructional talents of Steve Wendt, Pat Denevan, Michael Robertson, John Matylonek and Bo Hagewood.

I agree fanatically with all prior comments on the ''Scooter' (more appropriately called Stationary Winch) tow system, and offer this additional perspective: The stationary winch is an excellent teaching tool, but if operated without appropriate instruction and experience, such a system can be as dangerous as a loaded gun.

During the clinic, we worked with Steve's 50cc system and larger 125cc system and I learned a key concept that: "less is more". I recently purchased a 250cc system and now I realize that Steve's lower-powered systems are much better suited for instruction of inexperienced or less-experienced students.

I urge USHGA/USHGF to consider sponsoring additional clinics, and I strongly urge instructors considering the use of a stationary winch in their program to attend a clinic before they attempt to use a winch.

Scooter Towing - the last day »

February 22, 2006, 11:23:34 EST

Last Day

We get to see the last of the Steve Wendt clinics

Belinda Boulter|Bo Hagewood|John Matylonek|Michael Robertson|Pat Denevan|Quest Air|scooter tow|Scooter Towing|Steve Wendt|USHGA

Belinda and I arrive a little after 6PM at Quest Air and Steve Wendt is training an actual student on the scooter tow operation as the sun nears the horizon. This student has been following our scooter tow clinic announcements around and after not so great experiences in other locations has come here to learn.

It's great to be able to arrive after Steve Wendt has spent fourteen days training instructors and others (up to fifty folks came by to check it out) and hang out with him, Pat Denevan, Michael Robertson, John Matylonek and Bo Hagewood. Both Pat and Michael have long experience training using winch and scooter tow setups and are big advocates for this technology and the business practices that come with it.

Now that the first set of scooter tow instructional clinics are done and the early adopters are going home with great ideas for new business models, we are ready to take the next step, totally improving the way hang gliding instruction is carried out here in the US and eventually around the world. Steve has many folks asking for his time and attention. Matt Tabor is arranging for him to teach all his instructors.

I will be going back to the USHGA for more funding for similar clinics and further steps. The USHGA has a huge task in front of it and it needs a lot more high level instructors like Steve to meet its growth goals.

Thermal Puzzler

December 8, 2005, 3:29:54 pm PST

Probability

Probabilistic determination

Alessandro "Alex" Ploner|Bo Hagewood|Davis Straub|Gary Osoba|Mark Poustinchian

Gary asked in http://ozreport.com/9.243#3

Gary Osoba «wosoba» writes:

Probabilistic determinations have broad ramifications in cross-country theory. Here is merely one aspect of them.

A test was proposed to determine the thermal finding skills for two rigid wing pilots, Davis Straub and Mark Poustinchian. The pilots flew two test days each, on a total of four separate days. The results showed the following find rates:

PilotTest #1- Thermals FoundTest #2- Thermals Found
Mark10%35%
Davis12.5%40%

The percentages of thermals found is a God's eye view. It is the percentage of thermals actually out there, as known by God.

Questions:

1) Who was the more successful pilot overall?

2) Are you sure?

3) Is it possible to support one conclusion when taken as separate cases, and another when taken collectively?

Hint: Bo Hagewood might more easily identify the answers than Alex Ploner.

To follow up, let's begin with the last statement first. In ensuing discussions, opinions were offered comparing the flight styles of Bo and Alex. In fact, the reason for the statement has nothing to do with that. Rather, it has to do with formal training. Whereas Bo is a mathematician, and Alex is an engineer (employing much math but not as comprehensively), Bo would be more likely to be familiar with the issues.

The case will illustrate Simpson's Paradox, named after mathematician E.H. Simpson, who contributed much to early statistical theory. Pulling the curtain back, here are the numbers behind the above findings.

PilotTest #1Test #2Total Success Rate
Mark1 of 10 = 10%14 of 40 = 35%15 of 50 = 30%
Davis5 of 40 = 12.5%4 of 10 = 40%9 of 50 = 18%

Both pilots had the opportunity to find 50 thermals, but Mark was a remarkable 167% more successful overall in finding them. Sorry, Davis. Statistics can support one conclusion when taken separately, and exactly the opposite when taken collectively. So, the answers to the original questions are as follows:

1) Who was the more successful pilot overall?

It depends. In the case I have specified, it was Mark. However, with the original information given, it could go either way. Note that if the two tests were flown through the same thermal fields by both pilots on only two days, Davis would have been the more successful.

2) Are you sure?

Only you can answer a viewpoint question correctly. Were you?

3) Is it possible to support one conclusion when taken as separate cases, and another when taken collectively?

Yes, as demonstrated here.

What is the point of all of this? Well, think about it. As stated in the original post, this is merely one aspect of cross-country theory. It is qualitative, not quantitative. Either we find the thermal or we don't, and thermal strengths, length or speed of task (there was no task other than finding thermals), ability to climb, and other quantifiers are not relative to the discreet subject. Several who communicated with me on the subject ignored the clear statements that the qualitative issue was the only one we were looking at and spun off into an alternative universe right away. Of course the qualitative issue is very important, and has broad implications for flight strategies as well as scoring programs which assign different validity for various days based upon statistical quality.

Just a little mental exercise to promote musing on the subject. After all, we in the throes of winter here.

Discuss thermaling at the Oz Report forum

Climbing and gliding from thermal to thermal

Fri, Dec 2 2005, 1:00:03 am GMT

Gary's little puzzler

Alessandro "Alex" Ploner|Bo Hagewood|Davis Straub|Mark Poustinchian|William "Gary" Osoba jr.

Gary Osoba <wosoba@cox.net> writes:

Probabilistic determinations have broad ramifications in cross-country theory. Here is merely one aspect of them.

A test was proposed to determine the thermal finding skills for two rigid wing pilots, Davis Straub and Mark Poustinchian The pilots flew two test days each, on a total of four separate days. The results showed the following find rates:

Pilot Test #1- Thermals Found Test #2- Thermals Found

Mark 10% 35%

Davis 12.5% 40%

The percentages of thermals found is a God's eye view. It is the percentage of thermals actually out there, as known by God.

Questions:

1) Who was the more successful pilot overall?

2) Are you sure?

3) Is it possible to support one conclusion when taken as separate cases, and another when taken collectively?

Hint: Bo Hagewood might more easily identify the answers than Alex Ploner.

Discuss thermaling at the Oz Report forum

NTSS »

Mon, Aug 15 2005, 11:00:00 am EDT

The US pilot ranking after the Big Spring Open

Bo Hagewood|Bruce Barmakian|Bubba Goodman|Campbell Bowen|Chris Zimmerman|Davis Straub|Dennis Pagen|Dustin Martin|George Stebbins|Glen Volk|Greg Kendall|James Lamb|Judy Hildebrand|Kari Castle|Kevin Carter|Lauren Tjaden|Lisa Verzella|Mark Stump|Mike Barber|Oliver Gregory|Paris Williams|Phill Bloom|Quest Air|Ron Gleason|Russell "Russ" Brown

The women:

13 VASSORT Claire 1013
19 Castle Kari 823
25 SALAMONE Linda 694
50 PERMENTER Raean 269
61 VERZELLA Lisa 164
66 TJADEN Lauren 141
78 HILDEBRAND Judy 85

The first six women pilots (there are seven in the table above) form the US Women's National Team and get to fly in the Worlds in May at Quest Air. The draft rules allow a women's team of six with six additional individual pilots.

The rigid wing pilots:

1 Straub Davis 1552
2 ENDTER Vincent 1307
3 GLEASON Ron 1246
4 LAMB James 1149
5 Brown Russell 1138
6 Yocom Jim 1091
7 Bowen Campbell 1087
8 BARMAKIAN Bruce 855
9 GREGORY Oliver 713
10 TJADEN Paul 624
11 STUMP Mark 597
12 BUNNER Larry 536

The first six pilots form the US rigid wing team for the Worlds at Quest Air in May. The second six can fly in the Worlds as individuals (according to the draft rules).

The flex wing pilots:

1 Barber Mike 1925
2 Martin Dustin 1922
3 CARTER Kevin 1863
4 Volk Glen 1831
5 BLOOM Phill 1766
6 Warren Curt 1741
7 Williams Paris 1721
8 ZIMMERMAN Chris 1524
9 LANNING Tom 1394
10 Goodman Bubba 1321
11 PRESLEY Terry 1098
12 BURICK Carl 1089
13 VASSORT Claire 1013
14 KENDALL Greg 958
15 Stebbins George 949
16 Williams Michael 924
17 Pagen Dennis 861
18 ZABO Shawn 855
19 Castle Kari 823
20 Hagewood Bo 822

The flex wing pilots will not have a Worlds until 2007 (in Big Spring) and so their ranking this year doesn't matter so much. They get to use their best two flights from this year when determining their ranking at the end of 2006.

http://davisstraub.com/Glide/2006class1ntss.htm

http://davisstraub.com/Glide/2006class5ntss.htm

NTSS »

Tue, Aug 2 2005, 4:00:03 pm EDT

The US pilot ranking before the Big Spring Open

Bo Hagewood|Bruce Barmakian|Bubba Goodman|Campbell Bowen|Chris Zimmerman|Davis Straub|Dennis Pagen|Dustin Martin|George Stebbins|Glen Volk|James Lamb|Kari Castle|Kevin Carter|Mark Stump|Mike Barber|Oliver Gregory|Paris Williams|Phill Bloom|Ron Gleason|Russell "Russ" Brown

Rigid:

1 Straub Davis 1370
2 Yocom Jim 1091
3 ENDTER Vincent 1071
4 Brown Russell 1058
5 GLEASON Ron 1051
6 Bowen Campbell 975
7 LAMB James 887
8 BARMAKIAN Bruce 855
9 GREGORY Oliver 713
10 STUMP Mark 597

Flex:

1 CARTER Kevin 1863
2 Martin Dustin 1838
3 Warren Curt 1741
4 Williams Paris 1394
5 BLOOM Phill 1390
6 Barber Mike 1384
7 Volk Glen 1308
8 LANNING Tom 1273
9 Goodman Bubba 1150
10 ZIMMERMAN Chris 1125
11 PRESLEY Terry 1098
12 Pagen Dennis 861
13 Williams Michael 842
14 Castle Kari 823
15 Straub Davis 811
16 VASSORT Claire 808
17 HAYWOOD John 787
18 Stebbins George 786
19 SLOCUM Jack 770
20 Hagewood Bo 690

July site records

Tue, Aug 2 2005, 4:00:01 pm EDT

The month that they should be set.

Bo Hagewood|Davis Straub|John Scott|Josh Cohn|Mark Poustinchian|record|Robin Hamilton|Tom Lanning

John Scott «brettonwoods» writes:

Arkansas:

Mount Nebo -
RW Mark Poustinchian 154 Miles

Kansas:

Ottawa -
RW Davis Straub 189.4 Miles (second record for site this year)

Massachusetts:

Mount Greylock -
FW Tom Lanning 94 Miles

Oregon:

Black Cap -
PG Josh Cohn 93.5 Miles

Texas:

Zapata -
RW Robin Hamilton 428 Miles
Single Surface HG Bo Hagewood 178.6 Miles

The site record page can be found here

Discuss site records at the Oz Report forum

Bo's World Record

Mon, Jul 25 2005, 9:00:01 am EDT

Recognized by Wills Wing

Bo Hagewood|David Glover|Davis Straub|Lawrence "Pete" Lehmann|Pete Lehmann|record|world record

On Saturday evening we gathered at Rick Walker's hunting lodge on San Ygnacio road, out on east of our course line around Laredo, to celebrate the WRE and Bo's record accomplishment:

Wills Wing very generously sent Bo a check for $500 for his new world record. In addition we heard from Wills Wing that the previous record distance for a single surface glider was 167 miles many years ago in a Harrier.

Those pictured above: Davis Straub, his longest single surface (Falcon) flight in Florida, David Glover, his longest single surface (Falcon) flight in New Mexico, Bo, and Pete Lehmann, his longest single surface (Falcon) flight in Wyoming.

WRE »

Sun, Jul 24 2005, 12:00:02 pm GMT

The blogs.

Bo Hagewood|Bobby Bailey|Emily Mistick|Russell "Russ" Brown|WRE 2005

http://wre500.blogspot.com/
http://flickr.com/photos/davidhglover/sets/613993/
http://flickr.com/photos/davidhglover/
http://www.jonnydurand.blogspot.com/
http://naughtylawyertravels.blogspot.com/

Nelson captures an Indigo snake, the real reason he came to Texas. We wait out the weather and the rain post Hurricane Emily as tropical storm Gert moves west through north Mexico just south of us.

Laredo Morning does a typical MSM mess up on our WRE here. The Zapata County News got it right, just using my press release in total.

Bobby Bailey and Bo Hagewood are still here at Zapata waiting to tow us up when ever the weather cooperates. Russell Brown sent out the Flytec Dragonfly, and Bobby's plane in his trailer with his truck. Thanks to Quest Air, Flytec, Russell, as sponsors of the event.

Discuss WRE at the Oz Report forum

Thermal Shark

Sat, Jul 23 2005, 1:00:02 am GMT

Breaking the Wright Brothers soaring record at Kitty Hawk

Gary Osoba|John Harris|Kitty Hawk Kites|William "Gary" Osoba jr.|Wright Brothers

Gary Osoba stated that:

Pliable Moose, Inc. sent to Kitty Hawk Kites (to John Harris) in 1974 a Thermal Shark (so named because Gary was flying thermals in Kansas going cross country in 1972 or 1973). It arrived Thanksgiving Day, 1974.

One of the instructors at Kitty Hawk Kites unpacked the glider and got an hour plus soaring flight. This flight and this glider were the first to break the Wright Brothers soaring record at Kitty Hawk. The Wright Brother's record was 9 minutes +.

Discuss Thermal Shark at the Oz Report forum

Bo's flight »

Wed, Jul 20 2005, 9:00:05 am EDT

178.6 miles

The IGC formatted track log (2D). Downloaded from Bo's Garmin 12 MAP.

This is the Google Earth view. You can convert from the IGC format to the Google Earth format with G7ToWin. You'll need Google Earth Plus version to display GPS tracklogs.

Discuss single surface at the Oz Report forum

Bo's Big Adventure

Tue, Jul 19 2005, 11:00:01 am EDT

The new single surface record at 180 miles.

Bo Hagewood|cart|David Glover|Dragonfly|Lawrence "Pete" Lehmann|Manfred Ruhmer|Pete Lehmann|record|Robin Hamilton

Bo Hagewood|cart|David Glover|Dragonfly|Jon "Jonny" Durand jnr|Lawrence "Pete" Lehmann|Manfred Ruhmer|Pete Lehmann|record|Robin Hamilton

Bo Hagewood|cart|David Glover|Dragonfly|Jon "Jonny" Durand jnr|Lawrence "Pete" Lehmann|Manfred Ruhmer|Pete Lehmann|record|Robin Hamilton

http://wre500.blogspot.com/

Robert 'Bo' Hagewood «bokodi» writes:

The quick bird's eye summary of my 180 mile Falcon flight. (My GPS is over at the Zapata County airport, so we'll have to wait until tomorrow or the next day to check it.)

First of all I really want to thank the entire hang gliding community for helping me get back in the air. I feel free again. The Zapata WRE's have given us a thick book of stories. I'm glad that I can just add one short chapter to the book.

At about 10:00 AM I towed Gary Osaba to approximately 5000 ft and marvel at how effortlessly he zoomed to a cloud street that is some twenty miles away on the way to an eventual flight covering the entire state of Texas. After pulling up Robin Hamilton I dove passed Davis being pulled by Bobby. Robin would eventually set the world record for the Swift class landing near Manfred's touchdown.

Next in line was Pete Lehmann and Jonnie Durand Jnr. Then Bobby and I towed Kent Robinson and John Harper to 6000 ft in appreciation for them going last. Now it was my turn.

I quickly hangared the Flytec Dragonfly and with the help of David Glover wheeled out Pete Lehmann's 195 Falcon. Dave had his hands full between keeping me on the cart and refueling Bobby's airplane. After Dave mothered me to death, which I appreciate, he wound me up.

Shortly after release at 3000 ft my harness zipper blew open and I had a difficult challenge getting back to the airport. At 1200 ft (800' AGL) I realized that the twenty five mph quartering head wind was not going to allow me to make it and that I would be behind a locked gate anyway. I decided that my best option was to try to flounder down wind to one of the three open roads between Zapata and Laredo.

My first thermal was light and smooth which enabled me to tie my harness shoulder straps together with the tow release line. This really reduced the feeling that I was going to fall out of the harness with my shoulder straps slipping off. I would rock myself up in thermals to take the pressure off my chest.

By the time the Laredo airport came into view conditions had improved tremendously. I didn't dare and try to make the Falcon jump crosswind to the east in the twenty knot wind, so I was patient and let a cloud street drift me slightly inside but safely over the top of the Laredo airspace. Thankfully I had started late in the day and cloud base was over 5000'.

I spent the next thirty miles bruising my hands because I was gripping hard on the base bar in 1000 fpm up and down thermals otherwise it went pretty smoothly. I did get very low twenty miles out from Laredo and got scared that I would have a ten mile walk out. I hadn't seen the Mines road to the west along the Rio Grande. At fifty miles out I gave my jaws a break and stuck my gum on the wing nut.

At seventy five miles out from Zapata the cell phone started ringing to let me know that all of my flex wing buddies had landed (I couldn't answer the phone). The thermals were very strong and I got scared thinking that the glider that had never tumbled suddenly would. I was way too small for the glider sized at 195 square feet and the thermals were beating me up pretty bad.  At a hundred miles out I savored an energy bar that little Jon had given me.

At 125 miles (the previous record) I thanked Pete Lehmann for encouraging single surface flight and loaning me his glider. At 180 miles out I figured I had pushed my luck enough and hovered down from 5000 ft into the little town of Bracketville. I didn't have a driver and it was 30+ mile to the next highway to the northwest.

John Harper and Nelson Lewis were gracious enough to make the nine hour round trip to rescue me. We got to watch Nelson save seven Diamondback rattle snakes on the way home. We would cruise cautiously with the high beams on until we spotted one warming himself on the road. Nelson's keen eye would always spot the snake before me. John would corral the snake with car and Nelson would jump out with a broom stick and usher the beautiful creature to one side or the other. I guess you could say I had a seven snake cross country. I challenge somebody else to go for a double digit Rattlesnake cross country.

Discuss single surface at the Oz Report forum

WRE - the records fall like flies »

Mon, Jul 18 2005, 2:00:00 pm GMT

First Bo, then Gary, then Robin break existing World Records.

WRE

Belinda Boulter|Bobby Bailey|Bo Hagewood|CIVL|David Glover|Dragonfly|Gary Osoba|John Moody|Jon "Jonny" Durand jnr|Jon Durand jnr|Kent Robinson|Lawrence "Pete" Lehmann|Pete Lehmann|record|sailplane|World Record Encampment 2005

http://wre500.blogspot.com/

We have been forecasting this day all week, hoping that things would line up just in time to get a shot at the records before the hurricane comes through (land fall south of us (we hope) tomorrow evening). We all met the night before (except Robin, who was out at the airport fixing his Swift) to get pilots ready for their big flights.

The big question was, would the over running start early? That is would we see cu's forming before sun rise, like we did on Sunday even when there was thick cloud cover up high. The cu's are our security blanket assuring us that there is indeed light lift throughout the tough part of the flight, early on over the locked gate areas.

At dawn there was a spare cloud or two, and that was it. The wind was strong out of the southeast, and the forecast for the winds and lift along the course line was good until about 600 miles out. There was the hope that the course line had dried up and there wouldn't be any soft spots.

We headed out to the airport a little after 8 o'clock knowing that it was unlikely that we would want to take off early (say 9:30). We spotted a small cu or two but nothing exciting.

The hangar was full of WRE participants as we arrived. Everyone was anxious, ready, but waiting for a sign. Every now and then we saw a cu.

Gary moved his Silent 2 light sailplane out to the runway and I moved my harness out next to the runway, just to be ready in case the sparse cu's that we could see thirty miles to the east, start to form over the airport.

Bo pulled Gary up around 10 o'clock behind the Flytec Dragonfly and I had my ATOS ready to go. Bo took Gary to 5,000', much higher than those of us trying for an FAI/CIVL record can go. Bo told us that the lift stopped at 3,000'. Ah ha, an inversion. No wonder there were so few clouds.

At 10:20 I decided that there are enough wisps in the neighborhood and started getting ready. Robin saw this and got his Swift out on the runway. Bo pulled up Robin in the more powerful Dragonfly and I followed right behind with Bobby Bailey in his 582 powered tug.

Bobby's plane just did not pull me up very quickly, which was great because I had him take me due east and it was four miles before I pinned off at 3,500' (the highest we can be legally (CIVL) towed to is 3,680' MSL here). The clouds were forming nearby, and cloudbase was 3,700' at 10:45 AM. This was about right for so late a launch.

Robin was just below me as I headed off north with the wind 20 mph out of the southeast. Twelve miles out I came in over Robin again and we would fly near each other for the next 50 miles. The cu's are starting to build.

We found some good lift and it was a quick trip to Laredo. I got low (less than 1,000') at highway 359 on the south side of Laredo and had to drift in anything to highway 59, where I finally found the lift and got up to 4,400'. Robin was off to my east a bit. The clouds are thick and every where.

It looked like the day was really turning on around noon and I was finally going fast downwind. I blew through a couple of weaker cores looking for better lift, but got low over non landable area and had to run for a small opening (50 yards by 20 yards) in the mesquite along highway 83. Robin kept going.

Jonny Durand and Pete Lehmann were flying 10-15 miles behind me, and Jonny mistakenly followed more along interstate 35 instead of highway 83. Pete should have told Jonny that he was heading the wrong direction.

Jonny did what I did, blew through some weak cores after finding good lift, and landed at 78 miles out. John Harper landed near Laredo and Nelson Lewis picked him up. Kent Robinson flew his Wills Wing Sport 2 eight three miles. Pete Lehmann in his Wills Wing Talon landed 97 miles out, landing on the edge of highway 83 in front of a semi.

After Bo and Bobby pulled up all the pilots (the last couple to 6,000'), Bo got ready with Pete Lehmann's Wills Wing Falcon 195 and Bobby pulled him up around noon. Bo didn't have a radio and also didn't have a driver, but any of us were ready to pick him up on the way back.

Then John and Nelson volunteered to go after Bo, but they hung out in Laredo with the rest of us waiting for his phone call.

Belinda and I headed back to Zapata where we found out (see David's blog above) that Bo had flown 190 miles to the northwest by Del Rio (it's near the Mexican border and quite a bit west our course line). Of course Bo had to fly down wind where ever it the wind took him in a Falcon that was way too big for him.

Not only that he had his harness split open on him at the beginning of the flight, but didn't think that he could make it back to the airport so he headed down wind. He tied up his harness with his bridle rope. Listen to Bo's story at the WRE500 blog above.

Remember this is Bo Hagewood who almost died in a hang glider accident last year, and who has multiple injuries that restrict the use of his arm, neck, shoulder and hand. He is very light, the glider is too big for him. Some of the thermals scared him as he thought the glider would tumble (never happened in a Falcon).

So Bo now has the World single surface record (taking it from Pete Lehmann). Here him here also.

As the day progressed we heard back now and then from Gary on his cell phone and John Moody, Robin's driver. Robin was able to fly to La Mesa just north of Big Spring at 425 for a new Class 2 record , breaking my old record for class 2 and 5.

Gary Osoba flew over 600 miles to a ranch near Amarillo. He has set the new open distance record for a light weight sailplane. No one was chasing him and his wife will be driving down from Wichita tomorrow to pick him up. His sailplane is in a barn and his trailer is here in Zapata.

He said that conditions were weak all the way and that the lift was not well organized. While Gary was in the air, David Glover called the SSA up and got Gary signed up so that he had an FAI Sporting License.

Discuss "WRE - the records fall like flies" at the Oz Report forum   link»  

WRE »

Tue, Jul 12 2005, 12:00:00 pm EDT

Look like triangles for a couple of days.

Bo Hagewood|Jon "Jonny" Durand jnr|Jon Durand jnr|Lawrence "Pete" Lehmann|Pete Lehmann|record|Robin Hamilton

Bo Hagewood and Booby Bailey are here with two Dragonflies. Jonny Durand came in last night. Pete Lehmann is here. Robin Hamilton by the weekend. That's four of us going for world records.

The clock wise winds are cut off by the low pressure remnants of the hurricane. But come Friday or Saturday, things get better.

Discuss WRE at the Oz Report forum

NTSS Ranking »

Wed, May 4 2005, 5:00:03 pm EDT

After the US Nationals and the South Florida International

Bo Hagewood|Bruce Barmakian|Bubba Goodman|Campbell Bowen|Chris Zimmerman|Davis Straub|Dustin Martin|George Stebbins|Glen Volk|James Lamb|Kari Castle|Kevin Carter|Mark Stump|Mike Barber|Oliver Gregory|Paris Williams|Phill Bloom|Ron Gleason|Russell "Russ" Brown|US Nationals

Rigids (this year determines who gets to represent the US at the Worlds at Quest next year) :

1 Straub Davis 1344
2 Yocom Jim 1091
3 ENDTER Vincent 1071
4 GLEASON Ron 1051
5 Bowen Campbell 975
6 Brown Russell 973
7 LAMB James 887
8 BARMAKIAN Bruce 855
9 GREGORY Oliver 713
10 STUMP Mark 597

Flexies (doesn't matter that much when determining who goes to the 2007 Worlds in Texas):

1 CARTER Kevin 1863
2 Martin Dustin 1838
3 Warren Curt 1741
4 Barber Mike 1384
4 BLOOM Phill 1384
6 Volk Glen 1308
7 LANNING Tom 1271
8 ZIMMERMAN Chris 1125
9 PRESLEY Terry 1098
10 Williams Paris 1069
11 Goodman Bubba 915
12 Castle Kari 823
13 Straub Davis 811
14 VASSORT Claire 808
15 HAYWOOD John 787
16 Stebbins George 786
17 SLOCUM Jack 770
18 Williams Michael 739
19 Hagewood Bo 690
20 BURICK Carl 689

Full rankings found https://ozreport.com/compPilotRankings.php.

Oz Report Radio »

Wed, Mar 9 2005, 3:00:02 pm EST

Bo

Bo Hagewood

Bo Hagewood

To see a list of and then listen to archived interviews on Oz Report Radio click here.

David interviews Bo Hagewood about how he's doping and a bit about his accident.

this is an audio post - click to play

Please send suggestions for interview subjects «here».

How to catch our Ozcasts.

Discuss Oz Report Radio at the Oz Report forum

Where is Bo?

Mon, Mar 7 2005, 2:00:06 pm EST

He's here at Quest Air.

Bo Hagewood|Quest Air

Bo Hagewood arrived here at Quest Air today. He's not looking too bad for a dead man walking. The shoulders are looser and he's got some small amount of grip in his right hand after a recent operation.

Discuss Bo at the Oz Report forum

NTSS Flex Wing Ranking

Wed, Feb 9 2005, 12:00:02 pm EST

After the Australian Nationals and Bogong Cup

calendar|Dustin Martin|Kevin Carter|USHGA

calendar|Davis Straub|Dustin Martin|Kevin Carter|USHGA

calendar|Davis Straub|Dustin Martin|Kevin Carter|Mike Barber|USHGA

Bo Hagewood|calendar|Davis Straub|Dustin Martin|Kevin Carter|Mike Barber|USHGA

Bo Hagewood|calendar|Davis Straub|Dustin Martin|Glen Volk|Kevin Carter|Mike Barber|USHGA

1 CARTER Kevin 1743
2 Warren Curt 1531
3 Martin Dustin 1315
4 LANNING Tom 1131
5 Barber Mike 896
6 BLOOM Phil 849
7 Volk Glen 816
8 Straub Davis 811
9 PRESLEY Terry 780
10 Hagewood Bo 690

https://ozreport.com/compPilotRankings.php

The Kevin Carter has four meets that count. Curt and Dustin three (out of their four best). Tom has four meets that count (the maximum), and the rest only two (and we can add two more out of the next five). Only two Australian meets can count toward your four best. About 1700 points will be required to get into the top six.

There are five USHGA sanctioned hang gliding cross country/race meets in 2005 with NTSS points. There is no great benefit from ranking high this year as next year there are no World Championships. You can carry your best two meets from 2005 over to help your 2006 ranking.

https://ozreport.com/calendar.php

Discuss NTSS at the Oz Report forum

Bo »

Mon, Nov 22 2004, 10:00:02 am EST

An auction.

Steve Kroop

Bo Hagewood|Steve Kroop

Steve Kroop at Flytec USA «flytec» writes:

As you have reported, Bo is making progress in his recovery. However, he has accumulated quite a pile of bills in the process. Bo’s friends and Oz Report readers have helped immensely and Bo is very appreciative.

When Bo was visiting recently he brought me his sponsored 4030Race which was in surprising good condition considering what it, and Bo, had been through. To help raise some more Money for Bo we are conducting a silent auction for his 4030Race.

We have inspected it completely and replaced the front housing. To bid on Bo’s vario please send an email to: «info» with “bid” in the subject line and the amount of the bid in the body of the email. Starting Bid is $400. The vario will go to the highest bidder by December 1st. All of the proceeds will go directly to Bo.

Items included will be 4030Race, PC cable, GPS cable, new manual, 1 year warranty and bracket. We also have his pod and airspeed sensor which are functional (just not much to look at) that will be included to the successful bidder upon request. Thanks in advance to all that participate.

If you want to help out Bo but do not need a vario visit here.

Discuss Bo at the Oz Report forum

NTSS going into 2005

Sat, Nov 13 2004, 11:00:00 am EST

The preliminary ranking in anticipation of the upcoming competition season.

Bo Hagewood|Bruce Barmakian|Bubba Goodman|Campbell Bowen|Chris Zimmerman|Davis Straub|Dustin Martin|George Stebbins|Glen Volk|Jack Simmons|James Lamb|Kevin Carter|Mark Stump|Mike Barber|Oliver Gregory|Paris Williams|Richard Burton|Ron Gleason|Russell "Russ" Brown|Tom Pierce

https://ozreport.com/compPilotRankings.php

You can find the current rankings at the URL above. The rankings below just include the pilot's best two flights in 2004. Pilots can use these to determine approximately how well they will need to do to get on the US National teams for 2006.

Rigid Wing:
 

1 Straub Davis 777
2 GLEASON Ron 712
3 Yocom Jim 679
4 ENDTER Vincent 652
5 LAMB James 589
6 Bowen Campbell 534
7 Brown Russell 521
8 GREGORY Oliver 462
9 STUMP Mark 437
10 POUSTICHIAN Mark 431
11 BARMAKIAN Bruce 410
12 Evans Joe 275
13 BURTON Richard 273
14 Pierce Tom 222
15 MALLETT Denny 216

Flex wing:
 

1 Warren Curt 1057
2 Martin Dustin 909
3 Barber Mike 896
4 BLOOM Phil 849
5 Volk Glen 816
6 CARTER Kevin 813
7 PRESLEY Terry 780
8 Straub Davis 733
9 Hagewood Bo 690
10 ZIMMERMAN Chris 671
11 LANNING Tom 572
12 Goodman Bubba 568
13 Bunner Larry 567
14 SLOCUM Jack 543
15 Stebbins George 525
16 VASSORT Claire 513
17 Simmons Jack 509
18 HAYWOOD John 477
19 Williams Paris 474
19 Williams Michael 474

Bo »

Tue, Nov 9 2004, 3:00:00 am EST

He was at Quest Air for Halloween.

Bo Hagewood|Dragonfly|Quest Air|Steve Kroop

steve kroop «flytec» writes:

It was really good to see Bo and Windsor. Bo has put on a little weight and is looking better overall. He has some progress in his left shoulder but his right hand does not seem to be improving much.

He is scheduled for a surgery on his wrist in a few days. Bo plans on coming back after his surgery and we will be happy to have him, Quest has not been the same without him. He is interested in flying the Dragonfly when he comes back.

Incidentally, I have Bo’s 4030 Race. I was was thinking of refurbishing it to sell to raise some money for him.

Discuss Bo at the Oz Report forum

Pura Vida

Fri, Nov 5 2004, 2:00:00 pm EST

Flying in Costa Rica.

Bo Hagewood|Chris Muller|Jeff O'Brien|John Borton|Kari Castle|PG|photo

G.W. Meadows «gw» writes:

I take great pleasure in announcing the official release of my first true film. Pura Vida Flying is now available through www.justfly.com. (Pura Vida means 'pure life' and is a popular phrase in Costa Rica). This 60 minute film is the tale of three competition hang glider and paraglider pilots who decide to take some time off from the comp circuit and go have fun in Costa Rica.

Starring Bo Hagewood, Kari Castle and Chris Muller, this film has outstanding footage of hang gliding, paragliding, surfing, kite boarding and more. Early screenings to several hundred pilots and non-pilots brought comments like: "the best free flight film ever produced" and "this film could save our sport".

The film was written, directed, edited, scored and produced by my wife Jan and myself. The film has some memorable scenes in it including flying hang gliders and paragliders over the jungle, a double aerotow, a triple spin sequence which has to be seen to believed and of course surfing the famous Costa Rican pacific coast.

A real human interest story, the three pilots take their holiday near the headquarters of Hang Glide Costa Rica and are the subjects of footage that is stunning and taken from some incredible angles. All filming was done by myself and photos for the cover and the insert were by Jeff O'Brien.

The Soundtrack includes songs by Fighting Gravity, Weszt, John Borton and Gabrielle Roth. The reaction I get from hang glider and paraglider pilots to this film makes it worthwhile. It was a labor of love. Final budget on the film turned out to be $18,000. (Please get your friends to buy one :) It makes a great Christmas gift. In the words of Andy Torrington (hang gliding instructor at Kitty Hawk Kites) "I have to get one of these for everyone I know - it shows exactly why I do this"

Pura Vida Flying as well as the Flytec Trilogy and a surfing DVD I made (SoundWaves) are all available at www.justfly.com. Discounts available for buying two or three of the titles. Dealer packages also available.

Discuss Pura Vida at the Oz Report forum

Quest Halloween Bash

Tue, Oct 26 2004, 5:00:03 pm EDT

How will Bo be dressed?

Bo Hagewood|Quest Air

Quest Air «questair» writes:

http://www.questairforce.com/
This weekend Quest Air will be having the annual Halloween bash, Saturday evening (October 30th). We will be having the BBQ and Beer. We have arranged to have a special surprise to be delivered for the party.

The Shipyard Brewery which was present at Quest Air during the 2004 Flytec Championship will be sending a keg of a special seasonal brew that only comes out in the Fall. Shipyard was a big hit during the competition and I am sure it will be a hit this weekend as well.

There will be plenty of food and fun for the entire family and come dressed to win some prizes in our costume contest!

Rumor has it that there will be some big hang gliding celebrities present too, Bo Hagewood is expected to arrive as well.

Discuss Quest at the Oz Report forum

Aeros cross bar failures - gliders grounded

Thu, Oct 7 2004, 8:00:01 pm EDT

Two broken, in aerobatics.

cross bars

Aeros Ltd|Bo Hagewood|CIVL|crossbar

Natalie Lyssova, Aeros Ltd., Kiev, Ukraine, «aerosint» www.aeros.com.ua writes:

As of today we have two confirmed cases of the crossbeam failure on a Combat L. In both cases the crossbeam broke while the pilots were performing aerobatics, in particular -wingovers.

The problem itself isn't new and is not a specific problem of Aeros gliders only. While dealing with the problem of crossbeam failure during aerobatics, we found the similar case with the Airwave's Magic Kiss fifteen years ago (ask Robbie Whittal).

Given the fact that:

- The structure of Combat L gliders is certified by both DHV and BHPA;
- 100 % of crossbeams on our gliders is passing load test before being mounted on the glider;
- The present design of the crossbeam has been used on the previous models of our gliders for years without any failure, logging thousands of flight hours on hundreds of gliders all around the world.

We have started our investigation looking for any new and unknown circumstances that could contribute to the failures.

As a result of the investigations that have included

- close inspection of the broken crossbars;
- breaking of several crossbars from different production series in different load conditions at our factory;
- three trips to both DHV and BHPA load test in order to break crossbars under load in real conditions, inside the glider structure.

We have reached the following conclusions:

1. While all our crossbars satisfy the certification requirements, we have identified a production batch that has lower safety margin than the rest. All failed crossbars are from this batch.

In order to exclude the possibility of further accidents, we have decided to recommend grounding all affected gliders until their crossbeams are changed. In order to know whether your glider is affected and arrange for the change of the crossbar, please contact your dealer. Your crossbar will be replaced free of charge. (Only some of the Combat L gliders are affected - please check with your dealer or contact us directly with the serial number of your glider.)

2. We would also like to insist that a Combat L glider, as well as any other hang glider, is not designed for aerobatic flights and ignoring this fact can be dangerous. Due to the wide speed range of modern gliders, it is possible to overload any glider during aerobatic flights. Please be aware of the fact that modern gliders require higher piloting skills.

3. We have also found during our tests that normal certification load test procedure may not simulate closely enough the loads on the glider during aerobatic flights.

We have determined the new load test procedure and in the near future we are planning to have our gliders re-tested at BHPA in the manner that should mimic the dynamics of the hang glider during aerobatics.

In regard to two other accidents with our gliders, the results of investigations are as follows:

- in the case of Bo Hagewood's accident the investigation didn't allow to determine one definite cause. It could be either the crossbeam failure or the rupture of thin 2 mm diameter side wire. Aeros is planning to bring forward a suggestion to CIVL to prohibit the use of 2 mm side wires in the competitions.

- We are still investigating the fatal accident of Luciano Nunes de Oliveira that happened in Brazil this summer. We hope to reach definite conclusions after receiving additional information from FPVL.

The accident was caused by apparent simultaneous failure of both VG rope and safety tension wire. In spite of a very good accident report produced by FPVL, we think that some of it's conclusions are not correct and may not contribute to prevent further similar accidents. FPVL believes that the main cause of the accident was the failure of the safety wire due to shock load: i.e. insufficient wire diameter.

1. We, as well as other mainstream hang glider manufacturers, have used 2.5 mm safety tension wires for more than 10 years on all our gliders without any breaking because of the shock load.

2. We are aware of several incidents of VG rope breaking in flight, including one in extreme conditions - during a loop made by a very heavy pilot, i.e. maximum load - without the resulting safety wire failure.

3. During this summer we saw a case of VG rope breaking and found a slightly damaged safety wire on that glider. The cause of both VG rope breaking and damage of the safety wire was a completely wrong VG mechanism mounting after a glider repair after a previous accident.

4. In the photographs of Luciano's glider we could see that the right-hand upright (the one that carries VG rope) was changed, making for a bad mounting of the VG system at least possible.

Therefore, pending the definite investigation of the causes of this accident, we recommend to all pilots:

- Check the sweep wire for wear where it passes around hang point channel.

- Check that the routing of all VG ropes and pulleys is clear and straight.

- Check that the rear VG pulley is attached to the hang point tower and that both front and rear pulleys are screwed in properly. See the attached picture

- Check the VG operation - the pull should be light initially, becoming harder as the VG tight limit is reached. The return on release should be smooth.

In case of any doubt, please, contact your dealer.

Discuss "Aeros cross bar failures - gliders grounded" at the Oz Report forum   link»  

Bo link

Thu, Aug 19 2004, 2:00:04 am EDT

David Glover suggested that I might put the link to Bo's help line up once again for folks who want to help.

David Glover

Bo Hagewood|David Glover

Bo Hagewood|David Glover

Discuss Bo at the Oz Report forum

Bo »

Sat, Aug 14 2004, 4:00:07 am EDT

The boy is on the mend.

Bo Hagewood|Dragonfly|George Longshore|Niki Longshore

On Sunday we went over to the town of Franklin just south of Nashville, Tennessee, to visit Bo at his parent's (Libby and John) home were he is convalescing after his accident. His parents want to thank all those of you who have written to Bo and visited him, and say how very much they have appreciated all the support Bo has received. I feel that they really couldn't have been aware of how much Bo was liked and appreciated in the hang gliding community.

Bo is recovering. He has lost 25 pounds, but it is getting easier for him to eat, as his shoulders are getting better, in particular his left shoulder. He had four cracks in his neck vertebrae, but these should be healed within three months.

He still needs another surgery on his right wrist. We are working on him to get second and third opinion on what surgery to have performed on his wrist. If you know Bruce Good in the Chattanooga area be sure to have him contact Bo «(bo»). Bo should be in the Chattanooga/Lookout area next week for a party.

Bo is also seriously contemplating going to Steamboat Springs to stay with George Longshore and visit a sports doctor there. I think that we all need to encourage Bo to contact these doctors and see if they have a better plan for his wrist than fusing the wrist (the plan of the doctor in Nashville).

I feel that Bo can indeed come back from these injuries. Of course, by all odds he should be dead, but he isn't. He needs encouragement to do his exercises and work against the pain. He might be back in Florida by the end of the year flying the Dragonfly at least. This all depends, of course, on what the doctors do with his right hand and wrist. Let's encourage Bo to get the best medical attention and make sure it he gets put back together right.

He's got a bunch of work to do on his shoulders also. The nerve in the left shoulder is coming back to life and causing him pain. He also has a new pig valve in his heart. He can certainly deal with his internal fixes and have a good life, if he gets his extremities back in order.

 Discuss Bo at the Oz Report forum

NTSS »

Mon, Aug 9 2004, 5:00:00 pm EDT

After the Nationals and before the Worlds in Australia.

Bo Hagewood|Bruce Barmakian|Bubba Goodman|Campbell Bowen|Chris Zimmerman|Davis Straub|Dean Funk|Dennis Pagen|Dustin Martin|George Stebbins|Glen Volk|Jack Simmons|James Lamb|Jim Lee|Kari Castle|Kevin Carter|Krzysztof "Krys/Kris" Grzyb|Mark Bolt|Mike Barber|Oliver Gregory|Paris Williams|Ron Gleason|Russell "Russ" Brown|Steve Rewolinski|USHGA

The rigid wing ranking:

Rank Pilot Total
1 Yocom Jim 1549
2 Straub Davis 1464
3 GLEASON Ron 1417
4 BARMAKIAN Bruce 1369
5 ENDTER Vincent 1319
6 POUSTICHIAN Mark 1237
7 Bowen Campbell 1186
8 LAMB James 1070
9 Brown Russell 1029
10 GREGORY Oliver 981

The flex wing ranking:

Rank Pilot Total
1 Warren Curt 2116
2 Hagewood Bo 1650
3 Williams Paris 1623
4 PRESLEY Terry 1607
5 Barber Mike 1524
6 ZIMMERMAN Chris 1513
7 CARTER Kevin 1506
8 Rossignol Jerz 1449
9 Castle Kari 1386
10 Goodman Bubba 1374
11 Martin Dustin 1371
12 Volk Glen 1332
13 VASSORT Claire 1170
14 Bunner Larry 1131
15 Stebbins George 1044
16 BLOOM Phil 1036
17 Pagen Dennis 1034
18 Lee Jim 1014
19 Bessa Carlos 994
20 Simmons Jack 951
21 LANNING Tom 945
22 SAUER Richard 886
23 ANGEL Scott 862
24 Funk Dean 831
25 SLOCUM Jack 799
26 GRZYB Krzysztof 783
27 BURICK Carl 768
28 Straub Davis 733
29 Bolt Mark 719
30 Rewolinski Steve 629

See the full ranking at https://ozreport.com.

In my capacity as USHGA Competition Chairman, I will be sending an e-mail to the top thirty flex wing pilots regarding the 2005 Worlds in Hay, Australia. If you don't receive this e-mail, or are pretty sure that I (or the USHGA) don't have your e-mail address, please contact me ((davis@davisstraub.com).

Just Fly's report on Bo's accident

Tue, Aug 3 2004, 6:00:03 pm EDT

G.W. completed this in June.

Bo Hagewood|Curt Warren|Oleg Bondarchuk

G. W. Meadows «justfly» writes:

Preliminary findings on Bo Hagewood's accident. Bo Hagewood failed a 'special version' of the Combat L 13 on May 17, 2004. The glider failed during a pullup from a loop/near loop.

As of now, we cannot determine what part of the glider failed. The glider wreckage has been examined many times and continues examination. All major frame parts are badly damaged (some in multiple places) except the keel. Also, one side wire failed at some point during the accident.

We point out that this was a "special version" of the Combat L 13 because we feel it is absolutely integral to the failure. This glider was built specifically for Oleg Bondarchuk to compete on in the Florida Comps. It was built extra light in crossbar and leading edge materials and was not a glider that would have been built for, or delivered to a customer.

This glider also had special thin racing wires that are not meant for the loads that are commonly seen while doing high-load aerobatics. This glider was supposed to leave the U.S. after the Florida Comps with a foreign team pilot, but ended up being left in the U.S. and utilized as a U.S. Aeros Team Pilot glider. Bo was the team member who received the glider.

Bo was told (and confirms this) by Oleg when he received the glider to not do aerobatics on this glider. This "special version" glider sets it apart from our production models and is key to this accident investigation.

One part of this that is particularly important to note: This glider was being flown with 2mm thin racing wires. These type of wires are common on true competition hang gliders of nearly all brands. We (at Aeros) tell pilots that these are only for competition and should be taken off and replaced with regular wires during non-competition flying and they are not good for more than one season of competition - if even that. No pilot should ever do aerobatics on any hang glider that has these wires on it.

During the course of our investigation - other major manufacturers have confirmed like concerns for these wires and like replacement schedules. Whether or not the special 2mm wires will prove to be the initial culprit of this accident - this is a "wake-up call" for all pilots flying with these wires regardless of brand. If these wires were meant to handle the loads of all types of flying done in hang gliders - all topless gliders would likely come stock with these wires since they are drag reducing over regular stock wires.

The course of our investigation began with the best eye witness account provided by Curt Warren. Curt is a top placing competition pilot and knows Bo very well - flying with Bo a lot. Here is Curt Warren's statement about the accident - Curt was flying near Bo when the failure took place.

Bo and I were thermaling around at cloudbase (3100 feet). He flew just over my head and I signaled for a loop, with intention of us flying down together for the spot landing contest. Soon after he went out ahead and to the left of me, and then entered a "wing over" (150 degrees), at maybe 70 mph. Immediately after completing the maneuver he enter another wing-over to the left. This one had a more abrupt climb (not as smooth), with a ~65 mph entry speed. (-Though the stunt was not perfect, I was surprised there was enough energy to fail the glider).

I heard a low pitched "POP" (when exactly, I'm not sure) , and Bo finished his wing over nose down, spinning to the left. His parachute was out after two spins. The parachute deployed and fluttered away, never showing any evidence of a load to the bridle or canopy.

I was curious about what had failed on Bo's glider, because the damage was not obvious. Looking closer, I saw an indentation on the sail at the left leading edge - approx 4 ft from the nose. The glider, again looking just less than flyable, continued to spin to the left, until it reached the ground. It had a nose down angle, to the horizon, of about 60 degrees.

The descending glider looked like it was doing a combination of a spiral and spin. Bo was trying to change the attitude of the glider. It changed very little, maybe 10 to 15 degrees, for a half of a second, but continuing it's spiral down. I did not see much details of the impact, but heard it from 2000', directly above him. The trike pilot was the first on the scene.

Upon our inspection of the wreckage, here is what we found: The left leading edge of the glider has a partial break (on the bottom of the tube) at 42.5 inches from the nose, so most likely, this is the point that Curt saw when he describes and indentation about 4 ft from the nose. Exactly what created this situation is what cannot currently be determined exactly. This could have been caused by a sidewire failure and/ or a crossbar failure.

At this point, the exact cause of each failure as well as it's sequence cannot be determined precisely. The glider hit the ground very hard (hard enough for Curt to hear it from 2000 above the impact point). The investigation and tests continue. It is completely possible that it may never be known exactly what happened - and in what order.

Discuss Bo's accident at the Oz Report forum

USHGA - NTSS points going into the US Nationals »

Mon, Jul 12 2004, 1:00:03 pm EDT

For flex wings the Nationals will determine who goes to the Worlds at Hay in January.

Bo Hagewood|Bruce Barmakian|Bubba Goodman|Campbell Bowen|Chris Zimmerman|Davis Straub|Dennis Pagen|Dustin Martin|George Stebbins|Glen Volk|James Lamb|Jim Lee|Kari Castle|Kevin Carter|Krzysztof "Krys/Kris" Grzyb|Mark Bolt|Mike Barber|Oliver Gregory|Paris Williams|Quest Air|Ron Gleason|Russell "Russ" Brown|USHGA|US Nationals

The flex wing standings after the Europeans and the Team Challenge.

1 Warren Curt 1754
2 Hagewood Bo 1650
3 Castle Kari 1386
4 CARTER Kevin 1380
5 ZIMMERMAN Chris 1249
6 PRESLEY Terry 1216
7 Williams Paris 1150
8 Barber Mike 1057
9 Goodman Bubba 1038
10 BLOOM Phil 1036
11 Pagen Dennis 1034
12 Lee Jim 1014
13 Bessa Carlos 994
14 Rossignol Jerz 975
15 Volk Glen 946
16 Martin Dustin 920
17 VASSORT Claire 897
18 SAUER Richard 886
19 ANGEL Scott 862
20 Bunner Larry 845
21 GRZYB Krzysztof 783
22 Stebbins George 741
23 Straub Davis 733
24 Bolt Mark 719
25 LANNING Tom 675

The Nationals with likely be worth 660 points to the winner.

The rigid wing standings after the Team Challenge:

1 Yocom Jim 1194
2 Straub Davis 1151
3 GLEASON Ron 1144
4 Bowen Campbell 1060
5 ENDTER Vincent 1002
6 BARMAKIAN Bruce 959
7 GREGORY Oliver 891
8 POUSTICHIAN Mark 806
9 LAMB James 765
10 Brown Russell 714

As the rigid wing pre-Worlds to be held at Quest Air in 2005 are open to anyone, the current rigid wing standings don't mean much.

Bo »

Mon, Jun 28 2004, 1:00:04 pm EDT

At home.

Bo Hagewood|record|Windsor Coggeshall|World Record Encampment 2004

Bo had his heart operated on and now has a pig valve. They went in to fix the torn aorta and saw that they needed to do a little more. There are a number of operations that they still have to do on his wrist to put the ligaments back together, etc. For a while they sewed his hand to his belly to increase the circulation, but I hear that it is no longer tied there.

Windsor Coggeshall «winz75» writes:

I just wanted to let you all know Bo was released from the hospital on Friday. He's now in Nashville with his parents resting comfortably and eating good food to regain his strength. Thanks to everyone for all their support.

World Record Encampment

Leave Bo alone

Wed, May 26 2004, 6:00:03 pm EDT

In and out of surgery.

Bo Hagewood|Michelle Haber

Michelle Haber « mabshelly1» 252-473-2357 writes:

I just wanted to let you all know that I talked to Windsor last night and she said Bo is doing good and the surgery went well. He is already cracking jokes. Please do not go to see him right now, he is recovering and I am sure that his folks would like to be the ones spending time with him.

I was asked to relay to you that there are no visitors at least until Mon. or Tues. They also asked that no more than two people around noon time and two people around dinner time go to see him (a total of four people). Please don't be upset if you get turned away.

I was also asked to help schedule peoples visits. You can call me here at work or email me to find out when you can visit but it will be extremely limited. Right now Bo needs this time to heal. Thank you all again for your emails (which his folks have been reading to him) and the thoughts and prayers. Don't stop! :)

Bo - you can help him out »

Wed, May 26 2004, 1:00:00 pm EDT

You can send him some love and money.

Bo Hagewood

They had to put Bo to sleep, as he kept being too active during the day and his lungs would fill up with fluid. He should have gone into surgery on Wednesday for the aorta tear.

First of all, you can help Bo out by sending a contribution directly over the internet to him at «bo». This is a PayPal account connected to his bank. The PayPal account will take credit cards, or money from your PayPal account. Click here:

Second, you can send a check made out to Bo Hagewood to the address below.

Third, you can get a photo CD of the 2004 Kitty Hawk Kites Spectacular by sending in $50 (and your return address) to help out Bo to:

Kitty Hawk Kites
306 W. Lake Dr. Unit K
Attention: Get Well Bo
Kill Devil Hills, NC. 27948

If you want the CD and send money via PayPal be sure to include your snail mail address.

Of course, all the money coming in goes to Bo.

Discuss Bo Hagewood at the Oz Report forum

Bo - an update »

Mon, May 24 2004, 2:00:00 pm EDT

His mother had health insurance for him.

Bo Hagewood|Johnny Thompson

Michelle Haber writes:

Bo appreciated all the emails that were sent to «boh» especially the humorous ones! I read only a hand full to him and his father read the rest.

Please continue to send him emails. It makes his day. I also want you to know that he has some wonderful people taking care of him.

Windsor writes:

Please tell your Oz Report readers that all the support is greatly appreciate by both of us.  He's got a strong spirit which will pull him through.

G.W. Meadows «gw» writes:

I have just returned home from a week on the road. I was about to drive to Norfolk to see Bo and decided to call Johnny Thompson first. Johnny told me that they had found a tear in Bo's Aorta and were going to be working on it today. I delayed my trip and called Windsor (who has spent an incredible amount of time with Bo since his accident). Windsor told me they were going to be working on Bo this afternoon and that she didn't think he'd be able to see anyone for 36 hours or so.

My understanding (and I hope I'm characterizing this properly) is that this is not a major tear. It still, of course; is surgery on his heart and I don't mean to minimalize that at all, but my understanding is that they didn't have to 'rush' him into the surgery.

All the news coming out of the hospital has been quite a roller coaster ride. Some good news is that his hand seems to be a better prognosis than originally thought.

There are people who know much more about this than I do, but I still get a lot of calls and I have told people I would update the Oz Report with what I know.

My understanding is that Windsor has spent a whole lot of time there with Bo. Johnny Thompson has been making regular trips to the hospital as well. Mary Vaughn (close Bo friend and nurse) has been spending some hours there as well. I don't want to call each of them too often for updates - because I personally know what it's like to have to say the same thing over and over.

Windsor said she would call me when Bo can receive visitors again and I will give you a first hand report at that time.

Bo was thankfully partially covered by a health insurance policy. Still, he will be unable to earn his meager living for a while. I am in the process of setting up a Pay Pal account for him. More info on that soon.

Discuss Bo at the Oz Report forum

Update on Bo

Wed, May 19 2004, 2:00:02 pm EDT

The doctors are working him over.

Belinda Boulter|Bo Hagewood|David Glover|Doug Haber|Robert Hagewood|video

G. W. Meadows «justfly» writes:

I'm writing this from an internet Cafe as I'm traveling.

I've been on the phone a few times with my wife Jan as well as Johnny Thomson getting updates on Bo's condition. The situation changes a lot. Still, it looks as if Bo's life is not in jeopardy.

Last evening, Jan told me that she was told by a reliable source that Bo was getting some feeling in his hand. Johnny told me this morning that they found more damage in Bo's vertebrae and that they were going to put him in a halo. Johnny said that they found some nerve damage in his shoulder as well.

Jan is on her way to the Hospital right now to see Bo (if possible) but to be some needed support for Windsor as well (whom I understand has not left the general waiting area since she got there). I'll update oz report readers with changing info as soon as I can confirm it.

Bo is loved by hundreds of pilots. There has been a tremendous outpouring of concern. I have gotten so many phone calls and told the same story over and over.

I understand that people want information and so would I. Bo is like a little brother to the entire community. I'm going to ask folks to refrain from calling me to get updates. I hate to ask that, but the phone simply hasn't stopped ringing. I promise to update with changing information on the Oz Report (thanks Davis for allowing this).

Also, I've had lots of requests of where people can send letters/cards to Bo. Currently, he does not have a room at the hospital, but I will get the address of how to get stuff to him.

Also, I've set up «bo»  if you want to email him. I will make sure he gets a copy of all emails. Keep in mind that the hospital he is in - is located 2 hours from where we (the outer banks hang gliding community) lives, but we'll set up a 'relay' so that as each of us go up to see him, we can take him printed out emails where possible. At worst case, the emails will be there for him to read when he gets able.

Thanks for your understanding.

Belinda Boulter «belinda» writes:

I've talked with both David Glover and G.W. today about how people can send messages to Bo.

Email messages are encouraged, although Bo won't be able to respond. G.W. has set up an address, bo@justfly.com, and he will make sure messages get to Bo. Right now he's forwarding them to Bo's regular email address, where Windsor can download them and read them to Bo. But later G.W. will print them out and deliver them whenever he or someone else from the Outer Banks goes up to Norfolk.

Cards and letters should be sent to: Robert Hagewood, GICU, Sentara Norfolk General Hospital, 600 Gresham Drive, Norfolk, VA 23507. Flowers are not allowed, so please don't send them.

Bo was joking this afternoon that anyone who comes to visit him is required to smuggle in a controlled substance - water! (Bo is not allowed to drink anything yet, so please don't comply with his request). So you can see that his sense of humor is intact. If you do plan to visit, be sure to phone the hospital first, since Bo is often away from his room having various procedures.

Doug Haber « hgspectacular» writes:

The latest information I have is that he is going in for surgery again today to irrigate his wrist. As G.W. wrote earlier, please pray or think nice thoughts for our friend.

My wife Michelle started a prayer chain for Bo the night of the accident so I would say there are a lot of people (even those who never heard him cackle) putting in a good word for him. We ask that you do this for Bo.

 I will be setting up a donation drive with a photo CD just as soon as I can but for now I have set up an email address for you to write Bo a get well e-mail. Also if you would like to take out the old video cam and do a video get well, I will produce the final collection and put it on DVD for him to watch at the hospital. Here are the details. S

end your e-mail get well to «BoH»  nd I will make sure he gets all of them. I will simply print them out and will not read any of them.

If you would like to send a DVD or VHS video get well to Bo, here is the address: Kitty Hawk Kites 306 W. Lake Dr. Unit K Attention: Get Well Bo Kill Devil Hills, NC. 27948

Even if you never met Bo Hagewood, please send in something so he can receive some additional motivation for his recovery and stay tuned for a fund drive coming up soon!

Discuss Bo at the Oz Report forum

Bo's bridle

Tue, May 18 2004, 6:00:00 pm GMT

Deformed carabineer.

Bo

accident|aerobatics|Aeros Ltd|Bob Lane|Bo Hagewood|bridle|G.W. Meadows|injury|insurance|John Claytor

John Claytor «johnclaytor» writes:

I hope Bo pulls through this okay. This is a shot of the bridle attachment and as you will note the rectangular carabineer is deformed with the nut backed off. This is how it was found by others.

Seeing him spiral in, will stay with those who saw it for some time to come. He is a very lucky man indeed.

There doesn't seem to be a need for the second carabineer and that leads Bob Lane here at Quest to speculate that Bo neglected to hook up the main carabineer to the loop at the bottom of the hang strap. This loop is located between the back plate and the outer shell of the harness. It would seem that Bo might have pushed his bridle up between the back plate and the shell and then not got around to finishing the installation. The carabineer would have been slightly bent as it was pulled out of the harness.

G. W. Meadows «justfly» writes:

As many of you know by now, our friend, little buddy and pal Bo Hagewood has had a serious hang gliding mishap. As I write this, his life is not in danger, but he is in ICU in Norfolk Virginia. Current reports to me say that he has multiple punctures in a lung, a lacerated liver and kidney as well as as some damaged vertebrae.

It seems that the worse (most concerning) injury however is his wrist/forearm. I am currently traveling on business, but my wife Jan is working the phone back home to keep me updated. According to her latest update, Bo's wrist is broken in ten places and there is concern about his future use of the arm or even his keeping the arm.

Again, keep in mind that this is early info and may change (this situation has changed in reports to me three times in the last twelve hours - never getting better).

Please pray or think good thoughts for Bo.

There is rumor that he has insurance. If this rumor turns out to be false, then I'm sure that the hang gliding community will continue to do for Bo what it always has.

Regarding his accident, my partner and Aeros Test Pilot - Sunny Venesky is now arriving to the area and will do a full analysis of the wreckage. If any part of the glider failed (which it appears it did) we will determine whether that part was damaged previously and then proceed from there. No stone will go unturned on this investigation. The smart thing at this point would be for all persons flying Combat L's to not perform aerobatics until more is known. Please understand that I'm not saying there's a problem - don't misread this - but there seems to be no doubt that the glider failed for some reason. This is the glider that Oleg flew in both Florida meets.

We will update via Oz Report and our website - www.justfly.com - as soon as we know anything.

Discuss "Bo's bridle" at the Oz Report forum   link»  

Bo blows up

Mon, May 17 2004, 2:00:00 pm EDT

Survives by whatever has saved him so far.

Bo Hagewood|Oleg Bondarchuk|Quest Air

According to the stories that have reached us here at Quest Air today Bo Hagewood broke his glider in a positive attitude doing aerobatics near the airport at Currituck just north of Kitty Hawk. Bo was there for the Spectacular.

Bo was flying the new Aeros Combat L, the one that Oleg had been flying in the competitions here in Florida. He was flying with Cracky who watched the whole incident from the air.

According to the account circulating here, Bo broke the glider, then through his chute and the chute wasn't attached to the harness (or became detached). The chute landed ten minutes after Bo did. Bo is flying with an arrangement where the chute is connected to the harness (Woody Valley) and not to the carabineer.

The glider was spinning down and Bo and the glider  landed in a swampy area on soft ground. He has a compound fracture of his wrist. His helmet took a lot of abuse. He was able to miss a lake and a road and find the soft ground.

Discuss Bo at the Oz Report forum

The NTSS points so far

Tue, May 11 2004, 2:00:00 pm EDT

Bo Hagewood|Bruce Barmakian|Bubba Goodman|calendar|Campbell Bowen|Chris Zimmerman|Davis Straub|Dennis Pagen|George Stebbins|Glen Volk|Jack Simmons|James Lamb|Jim Lee|Kari Castle|Kevin Carter|Krzysztof "Krys/Kris" Grzyb|Mark Bolt|Mike Barber|Oliver Gregory|Paris Williams|Ron Gleason|Russell "Russ" Brown|USHGA

The ranking of US pilots going into the summer competition season with four USHGA sanctioned meets coming up (https://ozreport.com/calendar.php).

Rigid wings:

1 Yocom Jim 1194
2 Straub Davis 1151
3 GLEASON Ron 1144
4 Bowen Campbell 1060
5 ENDTER Vincent 1002
6 BARMAKIAN Bruce 959
7 GREGORY Oliver 891
8 POUSTICHIAN Mark 806
9 LAMB James 765
10 Brown Russell 714

Flex wings:

1 Warren Curt 1747
2 Hagewood Bo 1650
3 Castle Kari 1386
4 ZIMMERMAN Chris 1249
5 CARTER Kevin 1203
6 PRESLEY Terry 1195
7 Williams Paris 1150
8 Barber Mike 1057
9 Goodman Bubba 1038
10 BLOOM Phil 1036
11 Pagen Dennis 1034
12 Lee Jim 1014
13 Bessa Carlos 994
14 Rossignol Jerz 975
15 Volk Glen 946
16 VASSORT Claire 897
17 SAUER Richard 886
18 ANGEL Scott 862
19 Bunner Larry 845
20 GRZYB Krzysztof 783
21 Stebbins George 741
22 Straub Davis 733
23 Bolt Mark 719
24 LANNING Tom 672
25 Simmons Jack 663

The top six flex wing pilots get to go to the Worlds in Hay, Australia in January. You can find the complete listings at: https://ozreport.com/compPilotRankings.php. The rigid wing pilots have a Worlds in June and then in two years at Quest.

Reviewing the Flytec Championship

Mon, May 10 2004, 2:00:02 pm EDT

Patience, little brother.

Flytec

Alessandro "Alex" Ploner|Bo Hagewood|Brett Hazlett|Chris Muller|Curt Warren|Dustin Martin|Glen Volk|Kari Castle|Kevin Carter|Kraig Coomber|Manfred Ruhmer|Mike Barber|Oleg Bondarchuk|Quest Air|Robin Hamilton|weather

The French sent a team of ten flex wing and two rigid wing pilots. Six of the top ten flex wing pilots in the world were here (Manfred was flying at the XMax). And four of the top ten rigid wing pilots were also here, including former World Champion, Alex Ploner and World Number One, David Chaumet ("Show me, the money.")

The Moyes Team was represented by Curt Warren, Kraig Coomber, Brett Hazlett, Robin Hamilton, Jean-Francois Gerard, Glen Volk, Dustin Martin, Mike Barber, Raymond Caux, Lukas Bader, and other top pilots. The Aeros team had Oleg Bondarchuck and Mario Alonzi at the top of the competition in first and second place, with Bo Hagewood and Kevin Carter, along with other pilots.

Nene Rotor and Chris Muller were the top Wills Wing Pilots, and Bruno Guillen and Kari Castle represented Icaro 2000.

I would argue that the Florida meets, and this year it really was just the Flytec Championship, are on the level of a Category I meet, like the European Championships. They attract the top competition pilots in the world and offer the highest level of competition. Nine straight days of flying in a wide variety of tasks.

The two top rigid wing pilots were David and Alex. David was on his latest Tsunami from Helite and Alex was on the AIR ATOS-VX, a glider made for tandem pilots, but perhaps the perfect glider for the light weight pilot flying in the moderate to light conditions here in Florida. While Alex is really small, he is no heavy weight and only flew with 4 kilos of ballast.

Undoubtedly it is a combination of a high level of pilot skill and glider performance that puts these two pilots above every other rigid wing pilot in the meet. David and Alex are closely matched, and it was most likely the extra performance of the VX that gave Alex the edge over David. There were two other Tsunamis being flown in the competition, but David is the designer (along with Gerard) and he knows the glider the best. Still, I would be hard pressed to know the difference between his Tsunami and the other two.

Clearly Alex could out perform David on the VX, and he used that performance advantage to duel with David (and ignore the rest of us far below). With climb rates averaging under 300 fpm, and relatively large areas of lift, the VX was able to out climb any other glider and that gave Alex the best view. It is a huge advantage to be at the top of the stack. Once you're there and you have a comparable glide, then you can stay there and let everyone else take the risks.

There was no catching David or Alex. The only hope was that they would make a mistake or have a run of bad luck. It was foolish to try to catch them, but I often did have the desire to beat them, when in fact I was lower and taking too much of a risk to get ahead of them.

The only way to win at this game would have been to slow down, hook up with the second tear of pilots, say Johann, Eric, Ron, Jim, and fly with them. There was no way that I was going to be able to stay with Alex and David, so staying with and working with this group of pilots would have been a far better strategy. This would improve one's chances of doing well enough, and if the two leaders falter, then there is a chance to capitalize on their mistakes by making fewer of your own.

Hang gliding competitions reward pilots who fly together. They significantly reduce their risks and if they are aware and sensitive can use the best thinking of the others pilots to help them make their decisions. It does require the ability to recognize what other pilots are up to and why they might choose to go in certain directions at certain speeds and times. In other words, it ain't necessarily easy to do, especially when your competitive juices tell you to crush them.

On the third day Eric, Johann and I are following David and Alex from below. We are the bottom half of the lead gaggle that is far out in front of every one else. I take one big risk to go out front and get a strong thermal from 1,600' that gets us all pretty close about a quarter of the way into the task, but I still don't get over David or Alex.

At about three quarters of the way into the task, gliding in front of Johann and Eric but behind and below Alex and David I fly through some lift not bothering to turn, not because the lift wasn't strong enough but because Alex and David are turning about a mile in front of me and I want to get there. Eric, behind me (where I can't see him), will turn in it and get the jump on both Johann and I.

This one thermal will get Eric into third place, five hundred feet over my head and in front of me. Johann will get held back when he comes back to join me in the thermal that I do get under Alex and David, and will drop back quite a ways to fifth place. Not fixating on the leaders and flying the air that I was actually in would have been the ticket in this case.

Like Ron at the South Florida Championship, racing and hoping that I would blunder into the lift, not being patient because the leaders are far ahead and I need to catch them, lead to my downfall at the Flytec Championship. I always felt behind (I was behind), but racing wouldn't help me catch up.

You've got to relax and enjoy the flight. If you are continually stressing out about how far behind you are, or how rowdy the thermals are then things are only going to get worse. Sure, fine words of wisdom as I sit here, but hard to remember and actually live while you're in the air and competing. 

I wish I had more to say about the flex wing contest at the Flytec Championship, but I didn't get to see enough of it to add much to the reports that I've already published. That's what happens when you split up the two classes, which really is the way to go when there are enough rigid wing competitors.

I feel that we did a reasonable job with task calling and I was especially impressed with our ability to be flexible and change the task as we looked at the weather later in the day. Kraig and Didier were great to work with and it makes so much sense to have a three person task committee. It is a size that can actually make decisions.

Calling the weather really does depend on getting the latest forecast just before you are ready to launch. The flying conditions at Quest started much later than at the Florida Ridge. At both locations we basically went when the clouds told us to go. I think we could have gone even earlier at the Ridge.

The people here at Quest Air really know how to put on a competition and have a party at the same time. I sure hope that they keep it up.

South Florida Championships - the final day »

Mon, May 3 2004, 2:00:00 am EDT

The best weather of the meet.

Belinda Boulter|Bo Hagewood|Brett Hazlett|Campbell Bowen|Davis Straub|Dean Funk|Dr. John "Jack" Glendening|Dustin Martin|Kevin Carter|Kraig Coomber|Oleg Bondarchuck|Oleg Bondarchuk|record|Ron Gleason|Russell "Russ" Brown|South Florida Championships 2004|Steve Kroop|weather

The flight and the task:

http://olc.onlinecontest.org/olcphp/2004/ausw_fluginfo.php?ref3=5546&ueb=N&olc=holc-usa&spr=en&dclp=88ba6cda4e1fd2363b2dd89ddbb9d133

The forecast.

I'm now use to Dr. Jack's forecasts for South Florida. He predicts 345 fpm to 2,600' at 11 AM, 323 fpm lift (subtract your sink rate) to 2,200' at 2 PM, and 80 fpm to 1,600' at 5 PM. He predicts the winds at 18 knots of out the south. Just because the predicted lift looks weak doesn't mean we can't have a great time.

The FSL chart isn't working, The Windcast isn't working, The marine forecast is for 10 knot winds out of the southeast. The ADD winds aloft shows south southwest at 10 knots at 3,000'. The local NWS forecast is for drier conditions than the last two days. The showers are supposed to be scattered with a 30% chance of rain.

I'm looking up at the sky full of cu's and and it is looking good to me even though some of them are towering. I've seen that come to nothing over the last few days, so it's not a worry.

There is a front just north Florida, and it flooded at Quest to Saturday. The front is forecast to send rain and clouds south into central Florida. late in the day.

The task.

With the change in the wind direction to south after two days of southeast, I'm thinking that the perfect task would be a downwind dash 127 miles to Quest to set a new record for the longest task called in Florida. The problem is that most folks have to come back to the Ridge to collect there stuff. I'm having Belinda drive the truck and trailer north to Quest, so it would be a fine task with me.

The pilots vote to fly 60 miles to the Avon Park airport north of Sebring. The task will take us right up highway 27. This should be a fast task given the tail wind.

We could go a cross wind leg, but the problem is we have to stay with the roads to make retrieval reasonable, so this limits our options. There is no need to throw in a hard leg on this last day. Besides I'm also looking for  a task that will get some of the less experienced pilots to goal. I want to see a bunch of the Puerto Rican team at goal, not just Oleg, Kraig, Kurt, Brett, and Radek.

The start.

The start cylinder is five miles wide, and with the strong wind I figure that the best mode is to launch late to get the last start time at 12:30. Bo is obviously thinking something different, as he launches before the launch window is open, (Bo says he wasn't told that it was too early) and gets a zero for the day.

Bo will cross the start circle circumference at 11:04 and land four hours later at Quest, having gone over the goal at Avon Park an hour and 36 minutes later, but to no avail. He'll win $100 for the longest flight from the Florida Ridge ever. All he had to do was wait ten minutes to launch at 11.

I'll be almost the last to launch at a couple of minutes after noon. There are working cu's everywhere and within fifteen minutes I'll be at cloud base at 4,000' (see forecast above) pretty much the same altitude that we've seen for the last two day off of launch.

It is quite possible to stay away from the start circle circumference even in the 14 mph winds that I record aloft without having to drive upwind. The cu's seem top be moving north at a slower rate than the wind. And cu's are forming in front of us to the south so we can just left them drift over us and we can stay up and in the start circle.

I've got Oleg, Brett, Kevin, Junko, Dustin and a few others nearby with all of us waiting for the 12:30 start time. Kraig and Kurt have taken the 12:15 clock and are out of site downwind.

Russell has taken the 12 o'clock start clock. Ron Gleason has come back to join us but is about 300 feet below us at the 12:30 start time. At 12:30 we all leave together and head due north to end up four miles to the east of highway 27.

The task.

I've got my eye on Oleg, figuring that I can fly with him and have a fast flight. Still I'm above him and Brett gets a good climb and glide to the east about a mile. I split the difference between Oleg and Brett with each one of them one mile off to the side as we glide for nine miles before Oleg finds the lift first on the west side, as Brett and I chase him down.

We are heading now to the north north west as we contemplate the fact that there are a large number of good sized lakes to the north of us on both sides of highway. Oleg is out leading with Junko is tow, and the rest of us behind. We stop for worse lift as Oleg gets low.

I've noticed that Oleg does a lot of searching about as he flies, going from side to side looking for lift. He doesn't just fly straight hoping to run into it.

We climb up to 4,200' and cloud base just south of Placid Lakes (the town) and the lakes and we head north over the built up areas. There are trees and groves and houses everywhere and I'm checking out the available landing areas.

We're down to 3,200' over all this urban area and looking for lift next to one of the lakes. Junko, Brett and Oleg are higher and I'm trying to find the core. Finally I find the best core and in three minutes I'm up to 4,700' and not so concerned about landing areas.

 It's now just Oleg and I as we head north on a ten mile glide over built up areas where we are getting about 30 to one. We're spread out and Oleg finds the lift first again and we climb up at 400 fpm to 4,700 once again.

We are now only 16 miles out and it's 20 to 1 to goal. Oleg and I go on a 12 mile glide averaging 24 to 1. I'm watching the required L/D decrease on my 5030, but we're down to 1,800' four miles from goal before I find something strong along a line of zero sink.

I spend two minutes climbing 1,000'. Oleg spends one minute climbing 500'. I decide not to chase him as I'm not racing him. I just need to make goal to win the meet and now we are only three and a half miles away.

Of course there is lift all the way into goal so it is hard to get down.

It has been great flying with Oleg during this meet. Since we threw the rigids and the flexies in together I had plenty of opportunities to fly with them, just like I do in Australia. It's a great learning experience seeing how pilots fly up close.

Ron Gleason had a terrible meet after doing so well at the Flytec Championship. He landed out again along highway 27. Maybe he got off on the wrong foot not making goal the first day. I bet he was feeling as bad as I did at the last meet.

Kraig and Kurt made it into goal fast and were the first ones there along with Russell who started earlier after their early start. Junko made goal early also, but didn't turn in her GPS by the time she was scored.

Rigid results:

Place Name Glider Time Total
1 STRAUB Davis Air ATOS VX 01:28:55 799
2 BROWN Russell Air ATOS B 01:44:03 741
3 GREGORY Ollie Air ATOS C 01:54:21 640
4 BOWEN Campbell Flight Design Axxess 01:55:36 567
5 LARSON Steve Flight Design Exxtacy 02:28:37 408
6 GLEASON Ron Air ATOS C 23.9 233
7 NAKAMURA Junko Aeriane Swift Lite 0.0 0

Rigid cumulative:

Place Name Glider Total
1 STRAUB Davis Air ATOS VX 3422
2 BROWN Russell Air ATOS B 3056
3 NAKAMURA Junko Aeriane Swift Lite 2248
4 BOWEN Campbell Flight Design Axxess 1778
5 GREGORY Ollie Air ATOS C 1628
6 GLEASON Ron Air ATOS C 1197
7 LARSON Steve Flight Design Exxtacy 854

Flex results:

Place Name Glider Nation Time Total
1 COOMBER Kraig Moyes Litespeed S4 AUS 01:27:55 858
2 BONDARCHUCK Oleg Aeros Combat L UKR 01:27:40 810
3 WARREN Curt Moyes Litespeed S4 USA 01:30:21 802
4 HAZLETT Brett Moyes Litespeed S4 CAN 01:30:09 756
5 MARTIN Dustin Moyes Litespeed S4 USA 01:35:13 701
6 BARES Radek Aeros Combat CZE 01:36:54 684
7 FRANQUIZ Nelson Icaro Laminar 2000 PRI 02:15:20 490
8 FONTANEZ Edwin Wills Wing Talon PRI 02:26:35 426
9 CARTER Kevin Aeros Combat L USA 46.8 314
10 FUNK Dean Moyes Litespeed S 4.5 USA 35.6 268
11 LANNING Tom Moyes Litespeed 4 USA 33.7 257
12 VIEIRA Flavia Icaro Laminar BRA 20.8 169
13 MOLINA Miguel Moyes Litespeed 5 PRI 11.3 93
14 BURICK Carl Moyes Litespeed S4 USA 0.0 0
14 FRUTIGER Mark Moyes Litesport 4 USA 0.0 0
14 ALDRICH Erik Moyes Litespeed S4.5 USA 0.0 0
14 KROOP Steve Icaro Laminar 07 USA 0.0 0
14 NEUBAUER Lois Aeros Combat L BRA 0.0 0
14 LANE Bob Icaro Laminar 07 USA 0.0 0
14 LOPEZ-URBINA Carlos Icaro Laminar MR PRI 0.0 0
14 SALAMONE Linda Moyes Litespeed 3 USA 0.0 0
14 HAGEWOOD Bo Aeros Combat 'two' USA 0.0 0

Flex cumulative:

Place Name Glider Nation Total
1 BONDARCHUCK Oleg Aeros Combat L UKR 3055
2 COOMBER Kraig Moyes Litespeed S4 AUS 2976
3 HAZLETT Brett Moyes Litespeed S4 CAN 2908
4 WARREN Curt Moyes Litespeed S4 USA 2653
5 MARTIN Dustin Moyes Litespeed S4 USA 2235
6 BARES Radek Aeros Combat CZE 2218
7 CARTER Kevin Aeros Combat L USA 1717
8 FRANQUIZ Nelson Icaro Laminar 2000 PRI 1202
9 HAGEWOOD Bo Aeros Combat 'two' USA 1197
10 LANNING Tom Moyes Litespeed 4 USA 1077
11 FONTANEZ Edwin Wills Wing Talon PRI 857
12 VIEIRA Flavia Icaro Laminar BRA 850
13 FUNK Dean Moyes Litespeed S 4.5 USA 759
14 FRUTIGER Mark Moyes Litesport 4 USA 661
15 SALAMONE Linda Moyes Litespeed 3 USA 624
16 MOLINA Miguel Moyes Litespeed 5 PRI 567
17 KROOP Steve Icaro Laminar 07 USA 550
18 NEUBAUER Lois Aeros Combat L BRA 323
19 ALDRICH Erik Moyes Litespeed S4.5 USA 230
20 LANE Bob Icaro Laminar 07 USA 137
21 BURICK Carl Moyes Litespeed S4 USA 119
22 LOPEZ-URBINA Carlos Icaro Laminar MR PRI 0

South Florida - task 4

Sun, May 2 2004, 2:00:00 am EDT

The sky is again filled with cu's.

Bobby Bailey|Bo Hagewood|Brett Hazlett|Campbell Bowen|Davis Straub|Dean Funk|Dr. John "Jack" Glendening|Dustin Martin|Kevin Carter|Kraig Coomber|Kurt Warren|Oleg Bondarchuck|Oleg Bondarchuk|Ron Gleason|Russell "Russ" Brown|Steve Kroop|weather

The task and the flight:

http://olc.onlinecontest.org/olcphp/2004/ausw_fluginfo.php?ref3=5454&ueb=N&olc=holc-usa&spr=en&dclp=d541cda3b5bfd158c1613bcacda1b61e

Forecast.

The forecast changes dramatically over the course of the morning starting at 8 AM and ending at 10 AM. Both the FSL from the RUC and Dr. Jack also from the RUC model fluctuate enough to make it difficult to call a task until the last minute.

We continue to be concerned about the possibility of over development. Cu's start forming at 8:16 over the Ridge field at 800' and this adds to our concern. Dr. Jack in his earlier forecast is calling for over development by at least 5 PM. We feel that it is important to get a task off early, start launching at 11 AM, to hopefully avoid the forecasted showers and thunderstorms.

The 10 AM FSL comes in with just a hint of an inversion, perhaps enough to keep the over development from developing too early. The cu's are thick, but the cloud base is rising. The cloud tops are only getting to about 5 or 6 thousand feet in line with the FSL charts.

Looking at Dr. Jack, he's calling for 300 fpm lift (subtract your minimum sink rate) through 2 PM then going to 150 fpm at 5 PM on the BLIP SPOT for the Florida Ridge. Cloudbase is predicted to be 2300' at 2 PM, 1800' at 5 PM. This is disheartening.

Looking at the BLIPMAP indicates that cloud base will be between 1000' and 2000' out on the course line for the task that we have tentatively chosen. The lift is projected to be between 100 and 300 fpm (subtract your sink rate).

The FSL chart is giving me a little more hope with the hint of the inversion and a cloud base at 3,500' to 4,000' at 2 PM. At 10 AM the sky is looking pretty darn good, better than the forecasts. Based on the stronger conditions predicted at 8 AM, we chose an 80 mile task to Wachula to the northwest, but given the uncertainty we scale back to the same task as the day before to Arcadia, without the turnpoint at the center of the start circle. This will add an interesting complication.

The Start.

We chose not to go back to the turnpoint at the center of the start point 12 miles to the northwest of the Ridge, because so many pilots went down there the day before when there was a cell over it, and I figured why not make it a bit easier to get on course? This still gets us over near the east west highway (our second leg), but lets you stay south of the road in the projected 10 to 15 mph southeast winds.

We open the start window at 11:30, half hour after the launch window opens. We want to have lots of flexibility given that we are unsure of the weather. If pilots want to leave early if the day starts to look bad, then they have that option.

Bo gets  going early as usual, and has to work a bit to get up over the field in the stiff wind. The rest of us hang around on the ground and keep an eye on each other. Finally at 11:45 there is a rush to launch and we all get hauled up in a hurry. There is a small number of competitors here, so it goes very quickly. Also there are a bunch of tugs, with great pilots, and the staff/volunteers here are very efficient and helpful.

Oleg is next to me in the right line and a tug comes in to pick him up. A few seconds later I've got Bobby Bailey pulling me up right behind him. I want to keep track of Oleg because I figure that if I fly with him, I can go fast.

I've also got to keep track of Russell Brown in second place. All I need to do is cover him today and tomorrow to win, so I need to be aware of what he is up to. He and Ron Gleason have launched just before me.

Bobby is a magician and takes me left cross/up wind to the east to make it easier to get the start point and right to a cloud with some pilots turning under it. Oleg's tug pilot heads off to the right instead and Oleg doesn't get nearly the tow that I get.

Bobby let's me off in lift and I start climbing at 200 fpm to 3,500'. Ron and Russell come in under me and me drift downwind and circle near cloud base, sort of biding our time waiting for the 12:30 last start time. Oleg comes in way below us with five other flex wing pilots and they slowly climb in the weak lift.

Ron gets a little low, heads north as I drift northwest, and gets really low almost landing before he finds good lift. Russell is just north of him circling in zero near cloudbase. Oleg doesn't get high, but heads northwest, while all the other flex wings have headed north and are low near Ron.

I hang in zero and watch to see what happens as Oleg heads out over the swamp. I also keep an eye on Russell a mile in the other direction. I'm torn between who to hook up with. Finally Oleg low out over the swamp starts turning and I go for him, coming in over him at 2,500' and finding the weak lift that he is turning in.

The start time is about to go to 12:15 and we are just inside the entry start cylinder. At 2,900' I run back half a mile to get the 12:15 start clock at 5 miles out from the start point but Oleg a few hundred feet below me doesn't follow. I wonder why he isn't interested in getting the latest start time.

I race back to Oleg, come in under him and and we continue to climb slowly out at less than 100 fpm. I move over a bit to the north to better lift shown by another flex wing pilot, and Russell and Ron come and join me. I see that Russell and Ron have taken the 12:15 start time, so it looks like we are all together for the task.

I climb up to cloud base at 3,600' and head out first to find lift under a dark cloud to the southwest. Ron and Russell follow and Ron calls me back when he finds the lift first to my right. It is at this point that I realize that it is possible to get the 12:30 start time by reentering the start circle on the down wind side. Now I understand why Oleg didn't go with me back to get the 12:15 start time. Oleg is just to our south working upwind.

I continue to circle up with Ron and Russell in a torn up thermal as it drifts us toward the start cylinder circumference. At 12:41 I circle outside the start cylinder long enough to make sure that I'm more than 5 miles away from the start point, then circle back in in lift to get the new entry start time at 12:30. Oleg will do likewise to our south at 12:45.

Ron and Russell will not have figured out this little trick, but Russell will almost make the turn outside the start cylinder and back, and miss it only by ten feet, before he heads straight on course. One more turn might have done it. Now I figure I've got Russell and Ron by fifteen minutes.

There are a few flex wing pilots who also have figured out this trick besides Oleg. Dustin has been thermaling with Ron, Russell and I and I think he comes close to getting it by accident.

Kurt Warren has started early at 12:15, and it looks like from his track log that he had a chance to do this trick, but didn't figure it out. He has a very fast run, but would have really gone gang busters if he had just taken the 12:30 start time.

The Task.

We have a twenty seven mile westward leg to the turnpoint at highway 31. We have to continually push up wind to the south to make up for the drift in the thermals and make sure that we can get the turnpoint to our west. There are plenty of clouds and I stay between 2,500' and 4,000'. Ron and Russell are below me and they have to make some low saves. I'm going out front scouting out the lift and reporting back.

We hook up with three flex wings six miles before the turnpoint and it continues to look good with plenty of clouds and now markers ahead. I get down to 2,100' just before the turnpoint but climb out slowly with Ron and Russell coming in under me. I spy Junko in the Swift high and turning and Campbell Bowen in the Axxess turning just north of the turnpoint. He started at noon and was low at the turnpoint and is now climbing well.

I'll climb to 4,200' with Campbell as Ron and Russell come into the turnpoint low. I can see Oleg, Brett, Kraig, and Radek just a mile or so in front of us going on glide. Ron and Russell start climbing under us.

We are now headed downwind to the goal at the Arcadia airport and the lift is scattered all along the course line. It's twenty to one to goal, and I'll glide for 8 miles at 34 to 1 before I hit lift strong enough to turn in.

This lift is just an extra safety margin as I'm well ahead of the guys that I'm racing with. Goal is easily made. Russell will come in a few minutes later. Ron lands 8 miles from goal.

The Rigid results:

Place Name Glider Time Total
1 STRAUB, Davis Air ATOS VX 01:41:32 893
2 BROWN, Russell Air ATOS B 02:05:46 666
3 BOWEN, Campbell Flight Design Axxess 02:13:26 661
4 GLEASON, Ron Air ATOS C 49.5 382
5 GREGORY, Ollie Air ATOS C 12.9 142
6 LARSON, Steve Flight Design Exxtacy 5.9 79
7 NAKAMURA, Junko Aeriane Swift Lite 0.0 0

Rigid Cumulative:

Place Name Glider Total
1 STRAUB, Davis Air ATOS VX 2767
2 BROWN, Russell Air ATOS B 2391
3 NAKAMURA, Junko Aeriane Swift Lite 1380
4 BOWEN, Campbell Flight Design Axxess 1298
5 GLEASON, Ron Air ATOS C 995
6 GREGORY, Ollie Air ATOS C 985
7 LARSON, Steve Flight Design Exxtacy 454

Flex:

Place Name Glider Time Total
1 HAZLETT Brett Moyes Litespeed S4 01:34:28 834
2 WARREN Curt Moyes Litespeed S4 01:36:39 823
3 BONDARCHUCK Oleg Aeros Combat L 01:34:35 817
3 COOMBER Kraig Moyes Litespeed S4 01:34:35 817
5 BARES Radek Aeros Combat 01:36:40 771
6 CARTER Kevin Aeros Combat L 01:42:47 712
7 MARTIN Dustin Moyes Litespeed S4 01:57:45 633
8 HAGEWOOD Bo Aeros Combat 'two' 02:38:18 477
9 LANNING Tom Moyes Litespeed 4 35.0 331
10 FRANQUIZ Nelson Icaro Laminar 2000 29.1 302
11 FRUTIGER Mark Moyes Litesport 4 28.9 301
12 VIEIRA Flavia Icaro Laminar 24.9 269
13 FUNK Dean Moyes Litespeed S 4.5 24.0 261
14 SALAMONE Linda Moyes Litespeed 3 19.2 211
15 FONTANEZ Edwin Wills Wing Talon 16.5 179
16 KROOP Steve Icaro Laminar 07 14.2 152
17 MOLINA Miguel Moyes Litespeed 5 3.8 58
18 LANE Bob Icaro Laminar 07 0.0 0
18 NEUBAUER Lois Aeros Combat L 0.0 0
18 LOPEZ-URBINA Carlos Icaro Laminar MR 0.0 0
18 ALDRICH Erik Moyes Litespeed S4.5 0.0 0
18 BURICK Carl Moyes Litespeed S4 0.0 0

Flex cumulative:

Place Name Glider Total
1 BONDARCHUCK, Oleg Aeros Combat L 2245
2 HAZLETT, Brett, 11 Moyes Litespeed S4 2152
3 COOMBER, Kraig, 6 Moyes Litespeed S4 2118
4 WARREN, Curt, 21 Moyes Litespeed S4 1851
5 MARTIN, Dustin, 16 Moyes Litespeed S4 1534
6 BARES, Radek, 2 Aeros Combat 1534
7 CARTER, Kevin, 5 Aeros Combat L 1403
8 HAGEWOOD, Bo, 10 Aeros Combat 'two' 1197
9 LANNING, Tom, 14 Moyes Litespeed 4 820
10 FRANQUIZ, Nelson Icaro Laminar 2000 712
11 VIEIRA, Flavia, 20 Icaro Laminar 681
12 FRUTIGER, Mark, 8 Moyes Litesport 4 661
13 SALAMONE, Linda Moyes Litespeed 3 624
14 KROOP, Steve, 12 Icaro Laminar 07 550
15 FUNK, Dean, 9 Moyes Litespeed S 4.5 491
16 MOLINA, Miguel, 17 Moyes Litespeed 5 474
17 FONTANEZ, Edwin Wills Wing Talon 431
18 NEUBAUER, Lois Aeros Combat L 323
19 ALDRICH, Erik, 1 Moyes Litespeed S4.5 230
20 LANE, Bob, 13 Icaro Laminar 07 137
21 BURICK, Carl, 4 Moyes Litespeed S4 119
22 LOPEZ-URBINA, Carlos Icaro Laminar MR 0

The last day is Sunday. If there is a strong wind out of the south south east, we may try for goal at Quest, 127 miles. At the moment the forecast for Lake Okeechobee is 15 to 20 knots southeast. It's been almost due southeast the last two days.

While we don't have wireless internet access at the Florida Ridge, they do have four phone lines so it was easy to get internet access through Earthlink with a local number in Clewiston.

We've all loved being at the Ridge and flying in the contest. They have treated us great, the facilities are superb, the people are enthusiastic, and it is a great place to fly.

South Florida - task three

Sat, May 1 2004, 2:04:00 pm EDT

It's a beautiful day under a sky full of cu's.

Belinda Boulter|Bo Hagewood|Brett Hazlett|Campbell Bowen|Davis Straub|Dean Funk|Dr. John "Jack" Glendening|Dustin Martin|Kevin Carter|Kraig Coomber|Oleg Bondarchuck|Oleg Bondarchuk|Ollie Gregory|Ron Gleason|Russell "Russ" Brown|Steve Kroop

Task and flight:

http://www.onlinecontest.org/olcphp/2004/ausw_fluginfo.php?ref3=5422&ueb=N&olc=holc-usa&spr=en&dclp=d541cda3b5bfd158c1613bcacda1b61e

This morning we were going stir crazy here in the really rural areas of south Florida after three days of not flying. Yesterday Belinda and I visited the Thomas Edison house in Fort Myers. It was getting that bad.

The Forecast.

When I looked at the forecast it did not provide much relief. Dr. Jack was predicting 200 fpm and a 1,600' cloud base at 2 PM and 5 PM. Thankfully the winds were much lighter than the last three days and it was beautifully clear at 8 AM. The cu's started forming at 9 o'clock at less than 800'. It was starting to look like Zapata,.

Another key encouraging factor was that the winds were out of the southeast and the pressure was dropping. The southeast winds meant that the winds weren't coming across the lake, and would be the warm winds bringing moisture from the Atlantic. We love southeast winds here in Florida.

Given the poor forecast for the afternoon, the light winds, the cu's forming already, the better forecast for lift at 11 AM, we decided to do a task early and start launching at 11 AM. The lift was still forecast to be weak at 11, but it was better than what is forecast to come later.

Launching and the start.

We could see big development to the northeast, and cirrus also in that direction. The cu's over us were beginning to get a little thicker and street up as we launched at 11:20. I got off at 2,100' under a cloud street coming out of the southeast, and climbed out at 100 fpm drifting quickly downwind staying under the cloud. We were all pretending that we are in Zapata, hanging in the early morning lift and staying under the cloud street.

The start point was a bit to the north of northwest, so we have to jump a street to be able to get lined up for getting the first start point. Russell Brown, Ron Gleason and I were all drifting and circling together as well as being in radio contact.

The three of us had started early and it looked like we would drift across the five mile entry start circle early before noon (the official start time, but we can go earlier if we like) also. The idea was to stay up and get on course irrespective of the time. Cloud base was 3,200'. It took us half an hour circling almost the whole time until we went the seven miles needed to cross the start line.

We crept north and got the start point where cloud base was down to 2,500'. The lift was weak and we continued to creep along to the west, crossing against a southeast wind. Ron had been low before the start point but had climbed out to about 500' below Russell and I.

From five miles west of the start point we looked back to see rain over the start point and numerous pilots landing out. Earlier we had seen Bo Hagewood low over the swamp before the start point. He would get up, but landed near the start point when he went back to try to get it under the rain.

Ron didn't get up with Russell and I and went down seven miles past the start point. Russell and I were out in front working together to stay up in the light lift. Ron is having a meet, so far, like I had last week at the Flytec Championship.

Meanwhile back at the start circle Oleg, Ollie Gregory, and another flex wing pilot had worked their way northeast of the start circle and were getting ready to take the 12:30 start time. Kraig Coomber and Brett Hazlett crossed the start circle between 12 and 12:15. They were drifting downwind much as we had been, and more concerned about staying up than  getting the best start time.

The Task.

There was no reason to be in a hurry as it seemed Russell and I are in the lead and it was best to work with each other to stay up. About three quarters of the way to the second turnpoint, 27 miles to the west, Kraig caught up with us and the three of us would fly the rest of the task together.

We drifted downwind into the turnpoint at highway 31 and then had a 18 mile leg to to the north to the airport at Arcadia. The lift had been improving as we had run away from the Ridge and away from Lake Okeechobee. Brett and Junko in the Swift came in underneath as we head north.

With better lift we got higher and made better time. It was no problem getting into goal with Kraig just behind Russell and I.

The airport was very welcoming, as we'd called them in advance. We broke down on the lawn and waited for first Brett, then Oleg, and finally Radek.

There were no Oleg klingons today as Oleg took the last start time on his own.

Rigid Results:

/TABLE>
Place Name Glider Time Total
1 BROWN Russell Air ATOS B 02:05:08 1000
2 STRAUB Davis Air ATOS VX 02:05:24 954
3 NAKAMURA Junko Aeriane Swift Lite 02:06:58 912
4 GLEASON Ron Air ATOS C 20.9 311
5 BOWEN Campbell Flight Design Axxess 11.1 222
6 GREGORY Ollie Air ATOS C 7.1 167
7 LARSON Steve Flight Design Exxtacy 5.3 151

Cumulative Rigid:

Place Name Glider Total
1 STRAUB Davis Air ATOS VX 1874
2 BROWN Russell Air ATOS B 1725
3 NAKAMURA Junko Aeriane Swift Lite 1380
4 GREGORY Ollie Air ATOS C 843
5 BOWEN Campbell Flight Design Axxess 637
6 GLEASON Ron Air ATOS C 613
7 LARSON Steve Flight Design Exxtacy 375

Flex:

Place Name Glider Start Finish Total
1 COOMBER Kraig Moyes Litespeed S4 12:00:00 13:54:38 605
2 BONDARCHUCK Oleg Advance Combat L 12:30:00 14:18:40 589
3 HAZLETT Brett Moyes Litespeed S4 12:00:00 14:17:40 516
4 BARES Radek Aeros Combat 12:00:00 14:22:23 493
5 MARTINI Dustino Moyes Litespeed S4 20.3   260
6 FRUTIGER Mark Moyes Litesport 4 17.1   245
7 CARTER Kevin Aeros Combat L 16.7   243
8 LANNING Tom Moyes Litespeed 4 16.0   237
9 VIEIRA Flavia Icaro Laminar 13.4   214
10 HAGEWOOD Bo Aeros Combat 'two' 11.7   196
11 FRANQUIZ Nelson Icaro Laminar 2000 11.1   189
12 SALAMONE Linda Moyes Litespeed 3 10.4   179
13 MOLINA Miguel Moyes Litespeed 5 9.8   170
14 FONTANEZ Edwin Wills Wing Talon 7.0   126
15 FUNK Dean Moyes Litespeed S 4.5 5.7   114
15 ALDRICH Erik Moyes Litespeed S4.5 4.9   114
15 KROOP Steve Icaro Laminar 07 4.4   114
18 NEUBAUER Lois Aeros Combat L 0.0   0
18 LANE Bob Icaro Laminar 07 0.0   0
18 LOPEZ-URBINA Carlos Icaro Laminar MR 0.0   0
18 BURICK Carl Moyes Litespeed S4 0.0   0
18 WARREN Curt Moyes Litespeed S4 0.0   0

Cumulative flex:

Place Name Glider Total
1 BONDARCHUCK Oleg Advance Combat L 1449
2 HAZLETT Brett Moyes Litespeed S4 1334
3 COOMBER Kraig Moyes Litespeed S4 1323
4 MARTINI Dustino Moyes Litespeed S4 905
5 WARREN Curt Moyes Litespeed S4 838
6 BARES Radek Aeros Combat 778
7 HAGEWOOD Bo Aeros Combat 'two' 722
8 CARTER Kevin Aeros Combat L 695
9 LANNING Tom Moyes Litespeed 4 492
10 MOLINA Miguel Moyes Litespeed 5 418
11 VIEIRA Flavia Icaro Laminar 415
12 SALAMONE Linda Moyes Litespeed 3 414
13 FRANQUIZ Nelson Icaro Laminar 2000 411
14 KROOP Steve Icaro Laminar 07 401
15 FRUTIGER Mark Moyes Litesport 4 364
16 NEUBAUER Lois Aeros Combat L 323
17 FONTANEZ Edwin Wills Wing Talon 254
18 ALDRICH Erik Moyes Litespeed S4.5 233
18 FUNK Dean Moyes Litespeed S 4.5 233
20 LANE Bob Icaro Laminar 07 137
21 BURICK Carl Moyes Litespeed S4 119
22 LOPEZ-URBINA Carlos Icaro Laminar MR 0

South Florida Championship - day one »

Sun, Apr 25 2004, 1:00:01 pm EDT

It's flat, its smooth, and its beautiful.

The task and the flight:

http://olc.onlinecontest.org/olcphp/2004/ausw_fluginfo.php?ref3=5059&ueb=N&olc=holc-usa&spr=en&dclp=9f0cef87932bb0fd4431083159ed582f

The forecast is for light southerly winds, clouds, strong lift, and a front coming through tomorrow. It is warm and moist, like Florida is supposed to be. It feels like we are in the Keys. The southern Florida fly boys, like Steve Kroop, say that they would normally launch at 9:30 on southeast days, like today, and head north around Lake Okeechobee under fleecy clouds.

Some folks want to fly back to Quest, but it doesn't look like it is so strong (maybe 9 mph) that we have to go down wind. In addition, we are concerned about landing behind locked gates, in swamps, and in wildlife areas.

Ron Gleason and I form the task committee and decide on a box task that keeps us close to the paved roads. We call for pilots to head twelve miles to the west to the airport at La Belle, south ten miles up wind to an intersection, east seventeen miles to an other intersection, north back to highway 80, then six miles into goal at The Florida Ridge, a total of about 60 miles.

The clouds do start early and there is a strong east wind so it is confusing thinking about how to handle the task. But as the morning progresses the winds die down and it looks like the task is possible.

We've got a seven mile entry start circle around the airport at La Belle, which gives us five miles to get to the edge of the start circle. With the south winds we are blown north of the Caloosahatchee River (channel) going right over the RV Park where we are camped. The clouds are thick and dark and we get up to over 4,000'.

You never get to see what is going on around here becasue it is so flat, unless you get up in the air. I've flown over this area a few times flying from Wallaby Ranch, and I remember how pretty it was. There are plenty of open cattle pastures, orange groves, and swamps. The swamps in southern Florida don't have trees so they look like open invitations to land there.

We work our way west, trying to punch up wind as much as possible, but the lift is to the north of highway 80 so it is difficult to get up into the wind. I've reached deeply into my savings and purchased the AIR ATOS VX that Alex Ploner flew in the Flytec Championship, and it is feeling especially good. I climb up through Bo.

The rigids and the flexies are flying together as there are so few rigid wings down here at the meet. David is scoring Junko and her Swift with us rigids also, as otherwise she would be on her own. Mark Mullholland went off internet dating at the last minute instead of flying in this meet.

While we get high before the start circle, a bunch of us are back down at 2,500' at 7.5 miles out and working 100 fpm. Bob Lane from Quest Air gets antsy, heads out in front and goes down. This is something I was doing last week.

I'm playing well with others, hanging in light lift with friends and knowing that I can afford to be patient. Oliver Gregory on an AIR ATOS - C gets disoriented and takes a 1:44 start time instead of 1:45, penalizing himself 14 minutes. Ron Gleason is high above us and gets the start circle at 4,700' at 2 PM. Those of us below Ron climb for a few minutes more before we head out under the clouds toward the airport.

Ron and I are on the radio with Russell Brown from Quest Air who is flying the AIR ATOS that Jamie Shelden flew last week. He's a little behind us and Ollie is way out front.

We find lift about half way to the start point at the airport and climb back at 600 fpm to cloud base. We have to be careful because we keep getting close to the clouds without realizing it.

Ron is about one mile ahead and I point out to him that there is a flex wing thermaling south of his course line and that he should join him. He declines saying that he'll come back for the thermal after getting the turnpoint. I've got less of an angle to make to get to this guy so I and those with me join him and climb well as we drift back toward the turnpoint. Ron will have to run back to the southeast quite a bit below us to get back into this lift. Campbell Bowen from Quest Air is out in front of us by himself to the southwest. He will soon by down to 500'

After grabbing the turnpoint at the airport and getting back up over Ron, Kraig Coomber, Brett Hazlett and I will head southwest toward Ollie Gregory who is turning low about three miles away. He doesn't look to be going up all that fast. Later he tells us he was at 500 feet over a sewage treatment plant and used the smell to get up.

We find 600 fpm just under him and climb up again to cloud base. Kraig, Olli and I are the first ones back out on the course and spread way out to lead the pack behind us. Kraig is running right down the highway at a higher speed than Oli or I who are preserving our altitude and finds bits of lift as we go along. Ron is behind and a little below us.

Four miles out from the turnpoint Olli finds the lift first a mile to my east, and I turn left to join him. The guys behind are also heading his way. Kraig is low out in front and has to come back to join us. Brett, Kurt and Oleg are high with Olli and I as we again climb back to cloud base and head for the turnpoint. It will take Kraig a while to climb back up.

Finding no lift at the turnpoint, we turn and head southeast, south of the highway, upwind toward the swamp that is to our south and east. Ron Gleason reports that he finds 400 fpm at the turnpoint when he gets there behind us, and we are diving into the swamp getting sink and then zero lift down to 2,500' a few miles away from him. It looks like he's in a much better position.

We find 100 fpm, and Cracky heads out further southeast looking for better lift as we slowly climb up behind him. There is swamp every where. As we slowly climb I get a report back from Ron that he is getting low along the east west highway as his lift at the turnpoint quickly gave out.

Cracky finally hits it and within half a turn Oleg is headed his way. Brett and I chase after him and we center up in a strong thermal to cloud base. Ron is low to our north and getting worried, working light lift. Dustin is even lower way north of the highway over the swamps. Ron is reporting seeing alligators, snakes, and gar fish under him at 800' as he struggles to stay up. He wonders how Dustin will get back to the road if he doesn't make it up.

Oleg and his three little klingon's (Kurt, Brett and I) head east and stay high. Even when I go into the lead I've got my eye on Oleg just to make sure I'm following his moves. At one point I keep going straight as he punches up wind to find lift and have to run over to him as Brett and Kurt do. We all climb again in strong lift to cloudbase. We are basically not going on glide until we are forced to by the clouds.

Olie Gregory is following us but from about 1,000' below. Still it's good for him to have some help out here even if he can't quite keep up. He originally got behind us when he declined to join us when we pushed strongly south over the swamps.

After catching the southeast turnpoint, Oleg guides us to the northwest even though our next turnpoint is to the north, in order to go up wind and to get under the clouds in that direction. I figure I'm in the lead gaggle, all the rigid wings are behind me. Ron Gleason, who was the top placing American rigid wing pilot last week, has gone down, and there is no reason to hurry. Besides if I left this gaggle of four I would be totally out on my own, and I'm thinking that Oleg is making much better decisions than I would.

The race after all is the race against the other pilots, not the race to race yourself into the ground taking lots of unnecessary chances. Of course, that hasn't stopped me before, but with the VX, I'm feeling that I have the performance to stay up with anybody in the competition, so there is no need to get desperate.

We do find some minor lift under the clouds and make for the last turnpoint to the northeast drifting down wind into it. We haven't climbed that high because we didn't find all that great of lift, but when I round the turnpoint I see that I've got a 9.3 glide into goal.

We take a few turns and then go on final glide to the goal six miles away. All four of us have stuck together for each others help (well the three of us for Kurt's and Oleg's help) and now it is time to race.

We make goal easily with the following finish times:

Oleg      16:13:25
Kurt       16:13:41
Davis      16:13:46
Brett      16:14:21

Starting at 2 PM, the task will take a little over two hours.

Many of the pilots who work at Quest Air are here flying in the meet, helping out on the line or flying the tugs. Steve Kroop and Bob Lane have entered the competition, and it is great to see them having a good time. Flavia and Lois are in the competition. Russell and Campbell also. As well as Bo.

There are six Dragonflies here and five of them came down from Quest Air. Quest is very very generous with it's tugs. Bobby Bailey is here flying one of the tugs. It is great to see how generous Quest is with its tugs, and its great to see them here helping out like they have done in the past in Zapata and at the Nationals in Big Spring. They are a huge asset to the sport.

David Glover is the meet director and score keeper. He spent the last week learning from the master, Tim Meaney, how to make CompeGPS work as well as it can. So far David is doing great with getting the results out in this smaller meet.

Rigid results:

Place Name Glider Time Total
1 STRAUB Davis Air ATOS VX 02:13:46 920
2 BROWN Russell Air ATOS B 02:31:14 725
3 GREGORY Ollie Air ATOS C 02:51:37 676
4 NAKAMURA Junko Airean Swift 03:29:11 468
5 BOWEN Campbell Flight Design Axxess 03:53:15 415
6 GLEASON Ron Air ATOS C   302
7 LARSON Steve Flight Design Exxtacy 224

Flex results:

Place Name Glider Time Total
1 BONDARCHUCK Oleg Advance Combat L 02:13:25 864
2 WARREN Curt Moyes Litespeed S4 02:13:41 841
3 HAZLETT Brett Moyes Litespeed 4 02:14:21 821
4 COOMBER Kraig Moyes Litespeed 4 02:29:53 717
5 MARTINI Dustino Moyes Litespeed 4 02:47:51 642
6 HAGEWOOD Bo Aeros Combat L 03:26:45 519
7 CARTER Kevin Aeros Combat L 53.3 444
8 KROOP Steve Icaro Laminar 07 19.6 290
9 BARES Radek Aeros Combat 19.4 288
10 LANNING Tom Moyes Litespeed 4 16.0 264
11 MOLINA Miguel Moyes Litespeed 4 15.4 258
12 SALAMONE Linda Moyes Litespeed 3 14.3 247
13 FRANQUIZ Nelson Icaro Laminar 13.3 233
14 VIEIRA Flavia Icaro Laminar 11.7 212
15 LANE Bob Icaro Laminar 07 7.5 146
16 FONTANEZ Edwin Wills Wing Talon 6.9 135
17 FUNK Dean Moyes Litespeed S 4.5 6.1 126
17 ALDRICH Erik Moyes Litespeed 4 5.6 126
17 FRUTIGER Mark Moyes Litesport 4 5.3 126
17 BURICK Carl Moyes Litespeed 4 4.1 126
21 NEUBAUER Lois Wills Wing Talon 0.0 0
21 LOPEZ-URBINA Carlos Icaro Laminar MR 0.0 0


Lois landed along the highway by the swamp, and didn't get picked up until much later, so he didn't get scored yet. Flavia and Dustin went out and found him. Steve Kroop is flying a stock Laminar and Bob is flying with a cocoon harness. Linda Salmone, a fellow Blind Squirrel, is in her first competition outside of the Team Challenge and flying Clare's Lightspeed. She had her first cross wind flight last week.

I'll have a lot more to say about the AIR ATOS-VX as the week goes on. Obviously, I am very very happy with it. I really enjoyed flying with it and that is the main thing. Obviously part of that is its performance, but that s not the only reason I'm so pleased. Of course, my finish today is due in very very large part to the VX.

Discuss competition at the Oz Report forum

Flytec Championship - day eight »

Fri, Apr 23 2004, 9:00:00 pm GMT

A trip around the swamp.

competition

Flytec Championship - day eight

Aeros|Aeros Combat|Bo Hagewood|cloud|CompeGPS|competition|Flytec Championships 2004|Flytec Championships 2005|gaggle|Jim Yocom|Johann Posch|Kraig Coomber|Mario Alonzi|Mark Mullholland|photo|record|Ron Gleason|Tim Ettridge|track log|Vince Endter|XC

The results will be posted here: http://www.flytec.com/flytec_champ_04/index.html

Not the complete task, but you get the idea:

http://olc.onlinecontest.org/olcphp/2004/ausw_wertung.php?ein_kl=107&olc=holc-usa&spr=en&dclp=d541cda3b5bfd158c1613bcacda1b61e

After our long downwind task yesterday to set a new record for competition in Florida, we decide on a more difficult task in very light wind conditions, an eighty one miler (130 km) around the Green Swamp. The forecast for lift (600 fpm) and cloud base (6,000+) are good so we are willing to go far. The east winds are strong on the coast at the buoy's, but it sure looks like it will be lighter inland.

The winds have been blowing on the east coast all night, and in the morning they are still blowing at 9 AM when we have our task committee meeting. It's a concern, because yesterday the winds were stronger than predicted and when we saw that we changed the task.

There are clouds overhead and I notice that they are not moving at all. So we go with the light winds forecast. When I go back later and check to see what happened during the day at the buoy's, sure enough the winds had died down starting around 11 AM, going to zero in the afternoon.

There is good lift right at Quest and we climb out at an average of 400 fpm to cloudbase at 5,200.' There are cu's every where and I can see Johann Posch, Vince Endter, and Bo Hagewood on an Aeros Combat thermaling to the northwest by the edge of the start cylinder. I head over there and climb up as they head out for the 1:15 PM start time, the first start time.

The winds are very light, and the cloud at the edge of the start cylinder stays fixed, so it is possible to thermal in one location for fifteen minutes at cloud base and not drift down wind at all. Jim Yocom, Christoph, Alex, and David Chaumet are about a mile to our south near the Green Swamp, also waiting for the second start time.

Ron Gleason, Eric Pacquette and I are circling around waiting for the start time and trying to stay out of the clouds. The lift is light enough that it is not too difficult.

We're all off at 1:30 toward the first start point at Kokee, fourteen miles to the west. The clouds ahead are ragged, although I have to go around the cloud we were circling under as I had actually climbed up one side of it and needed to stay clear going on course.

Ron and I will fly together as Eric is a bit lower. We'll find ragged lift under the few clouds going to the first turnpoint, but enough to keep us interested. We'll find 500 fpm 4 miles from the turnpoint and the track log shows absolutely no drift in the thermal at all as we climb to 5,700'.

Johann has apparently moved his hang strap forward too much and can't slow down the glider. He later says that we pass right over him at the first turnpoint as he is down to 300'.

We can see Jim Yocom. Alex, David, and Christoph, just ahead of us and we get to pick out better lines as we evaluate their glides on the way to the second turnpoint at Fiddle, 10 miles to the southwest. We are catching up with them as they stop in weak lift for a few turns.

Jim gets low going into the second turnpoint and runs southeast over a big shaded area. Ron suggests that we turn and head east to get to the good looking clouds over the Green Swamp. Our next turnpoint is the sink hole at the intersection Rockridge and highway 98, 24 miles to the southeast.

The lift is good over the Green Swamp and Ron and I continue flying together. It looks like we are out in front now. Jim Yocom is low in the shaded area and lands near Dade City trying to keep up with Alex and David.

Flying to the east of Ron a bit I have to go back to get the lift he finds first and he gets three miles ahead after climbing to cloud base in 600 fpm. He is nice enough to tell me where it is, so I'm also quickly there and racing after him.

Seven miles out from Rockridge at 98, Ron find lift under most likely Vince, and Alex David and I join him, trying to get as high as we can before we head for the intersection. Eric Pacquette comes in underneath us, Brian has passed us on the north side, and Mark Mullholland will also join us.

The lift is crummy as always at the intersection but we are down to 3,000' so we take what we can get. After climbing slowly to 4,000 we head out toward the next turnpoint at highway 474 and 33.

There is a cloud street with thin but new clouds forming (it appears) heading upwind due east. There are more clouds to the north. On course line there is a blue hole for a long ways until some clouds way to the northeast.

I decide to take the cloud street to the east, Ron goes on course line with Eric and Mark following. I continue down the cloud street and do not find any lift.

Ron and his followers get low out in the blue but find some lift and get back up while I land at a very pleasant sod farm. Alex and David got up better just before Rockridge and are high going across the blue hole.

Ron has two more low saves then gets up good when he reaches the turnpoint on highway 33 at 11 miles out. He is able to go on glide from there from 5,000' and make goal easily.

Alex, David, Vince, Ron,. Eric, and much later Johann make goal (at least). Then we all sit down and watch to wait for the flex wings. But Bo has also made it to goal beating his flying partner, Vince, and now he's hoping that he has won the day.

He started at 1:17 and his flight will just be shifted to make it as though he started at 2 PM. So he has to hope that it takes the lead gaggle longer to make it to goal than it took him flying with Vince.

Bo crossing the line and grabbing the money bag. Photo by Tim Ettridge

We wait and wait, and then finally we see the flex wing lead gaggle coming in fast and low. It's Oleg in the lead, with a harness that he doesn't seem to be able to unzip, and Antoine just a few seconds behind him.

Mario Alonzi comes it soon after along with numerous French team pilots and Kraig Coomber. About fifteen flex wings will make it to goal.

It looks like Bo has won the day, although we can't tell for sure as we don't know when everyone started.

Although you wouldn't know it from the scores posted on the Flytec web site there is a very tight race for first place between Mario and Oleg. (Tim Meaney really is disgusted with the new version of CompeGPS. The previous version was much better according to him.)

Flytec Championship - day five »

Tue, Apr 20 2004, 8:00:00 pm GMT

Flying in Florida is just about as much fun as it can get.

the competition

Flytec Championship - day five

Alex Ploner|Bo Hagewood|CompeGPS|competition|Flytec Championships 2004|Flytec Championships 2005|gaggle|Krzysztof "Krys/Kris" Grzyb|photo|Ron Gleason|sailplane|Steve Kroop|Tim Ettridge

The results will be posted here: http://www.flytec.com/flytec_champ_04/index.html

Task and Flight:

http://www.onlinecontest.org/olcphp/2004/ausw_fluginfo.php?ref3=4130&ueb=N&olc=holc-usa&spr=en&dclp=d541cda3b5bfd158c1613bcacda1b61e

For the fifth day in a row we have approximately the same forecast for lift (570 fpm) and height of the lift at 2 PM (5,200'). One difference is that today the winds are predicted to be light out of the east, down to eight knots or less. The other difference is that it looks like the clouds will be very few and very thin, if at all.

What we I don't find in the forecast and we don't see until later are the cirrus clouds that come over around 11 PM and reduce the solar heating and therefore the lift values. The task committee meeting at 9 AM calls a 90 mile task with an 80 mile secondary task, assuming the conditions will be similar to the previous day, although we are concerned about the forecast for no clouds.

When the cirrus clouds come in we drop back to the secondary task and then back even further to a shorter version of the task. It's south south east over Wallaby Ranch to a little grass air strip across from the Wal-Mart on highway 27, then back up to the northwest to Dean Still and highway 33, then straight north back to Quest along 33.

The times get pushed back also as we assume that the day will turn on a bit later, so the rigids will start at 2 PM. The lift is light right over Quest so we spend a long time thermaling up to 4,900'. All the rigid pilots are huddling together given the truly dim prospects out on the horizon with a few miserable looking cu's scattered about under the cirrus and a pronounced visible inversion starting at about 5,000' (just as forecast).

We creep out to the start cylinder circumference and all get the start time about fifteen minutes late. This will give the flex wing pilots a chance to catch us as their first start time is half an hour behind ours, and now they are only fifteen minutes behind us. They can also start early if they want.

We continue to cautiously proceed along the course line with no one wanting to take any great chances and lots of gaggling to find the needed help to make it along without any thermal markers. Five miles northwest of Wallaby Ranch we hit a good one and I climb up with Johann to 5,500'. Johann and I do on a seven mile glide spread out to find lift south of Wallaby that gets us out in front and makes us very attractive to the flex wings and the previously leading gaggle of rigid wings.

We don't find much lift going into Gore, a little grass airstrip just northwest of Haynes City and there isn't much going out of there either, so we have to work light stuff just to stay in the air. I'm in contact with Ron Gleason and he's gone out ahead now and is getting low approaching Dean Still with the lead gaggle, so I hold back and work 100 fpm before heading out to find them low and circling, but in good lift.

We're back in the strong lift regions when we get back to highway 33 and Dean Still. The lead gaggle including the fast flex wings are there, so we climb up to over 5,500' and head north from 16 miles out.

At 10 miles out I've only lost 800 feet in the last six miles and I'm zooming over the sailplane port. My required glide ratio has decreased from 14 to 1 down to almost 11 to 1 and it's looking pretty good.

The top guys in the lead gaggle are also on glide in front of me, and they've got about 500' on me. Ron is right behind about a mile and a half and at 5,000'. All I'm looking for is average moderate sink, but as I get lower the required glide ratio stops dropping, and I'm no longer 1000' over best glide line. My L/D goes to pot under 2,000'.

I come in at about 600' over the last good looking landing field 1.3 miles before Quest unwilling to take a chance on going through the trees. Right after I land, Ron comes over my head at 400' then hits 200' of lift just past me, climbs enough to make it 50' over the trees and into Quest, 30' past the goal line.

Alex Ploner wins the day again with Dave ("Show me the money"} Chaumet in second. It's been pretty consistent.

Krzysztof Grzyb will fly the longer secondary task, come in late, and miss goal by 50 feet. The spectators at Quest will see Bo Hagewood disappear behind the trees, then pop up and over them into the slot at the south end of the field, then glide in ground effect for hundreds of yards to make the goal by fifteen feet.

There are many pilots who make goal, though the times are way spread out, with many pilots coming in much later.

The new competition version of CompeGPS seems to be in terrible shape and Tim is having to do pretty much everything manually. One example, they could see my flight from a few days ago in the folder with all the other flights using Windows Explorer, but CompeGPS could not see it. Tim is use to beating this buggy program into submission, but now it is paying him back for all the bad things he says about it.

The ground conditions are superb here at Quest, the best ever, with lots of heads up coordination from the Quest regulars handling all the volunteer effort. There are absolutely no dramas with the rigid wing towing, and that gets us out of the way of all the flex wing pilots and makes it easier and quicker for them to get into the air.

Some times you forget when everything just goes like it should that a lot of people have to think and work to make it happen that way. Steve Kroop told me that he was feeling very relaxed as he had such knowledgeable help from Flavia, Drew, and Mike.

GW Meadows filming the action. Photo by Tim Ettridge.

Brazil - fun at the beach »

Wed, Mar 10 2004, 3:00:07 pm EST

Hand towing up pilots in Brazil.

Andrew "Drew" Harris|Blue Sky|Bo Hagewood|Steve Wendt

http://cards.webshots.com/cp-75350683-uVcB-album/121973901cmzDci

andrew harris «randrew999»  writes:

A couple weeks ago Lois Neubauer, Joe Johnston, and I man-towed on the beach at Praia Mocambique. According to Lois and a few other pilots here, it was the first time that anyone had man-towed on the beaches here. Thanks go out to the time I spent in Kitty Hawk and Bo Hagewood.

Anyway, the view was absolutely amazing from the air of the beach. The pix don't do it justice. The webshots site URL above has a number of pix, from the launches to the air.

The wind was blowing about 20+ mph from the South/Southeast/Southwest. It picked up later so we stopped since the higher we went, the more we were blown back. We were flying a Pulse 10M that Joe picked up before he headed out to Brazil.

Basically we used a 200 foot line to man tow up. luckily we had a couple of Steve Wendt-made Blue Sky training harnesses in the car that we rigged up to the other end of the tow line. A friend of Lois's (Victor) and I towed up Lois first. Then Joe. Joe and Victor towed me up. one of the pix of me and Victor towing up Joe shows the method pretty well.

Discuss Brazil at the Oz Report forum

The race for the Worlds in Oz

Sat, Feb 14 2004, 2:00:01 am GMT

Bo Hagewood|Bubba Goodman|calendar|Carlos Bessa|Chelan XC Classic 2004|Chris Zimmerman|Claire Vassort|competition|Curt Warren|Davis Straub|Dean Funk|Dennis Pagen|Flytec Championships 2004|George Stebbins|Glen Volk|Jerz Rossignol|Jim Lee|Kari Castle|Kevin Carter|Krzysztof "Krys/Kris" Grzyb|Larry Bunner|Mark Bolt|Mike Barber|NTSS|Paris Williams|Phil Bloom|Richard Sauer|Scott Angel|South Florida Championships 2004|Steve Rewolinski|Tennessee Tree Toppers Team Challenge 2004|Terry Presley|USHGA|US Nationals 2004|Worlds 2004

The points from the Australian meets add up as we look at the NTSS standings for US flex wing pilots and how they effect who's going to the Worlds in Hay in 2005.

https://OzReport.com/compPilotRankings.php

The race to be on the flex wing national teams is on. Pilots were in Australia flying to gain points on their country's team so that they can go to the Worlds in Australia next January. In the US, the pilots are chosen on the basis of their four best competitions results. They can use their two best flights from 2003, and their best flights from 2004. One new rule is that only two flights from competitions outside the United States count. Here's how things stand today:

1 Hagewood Bo 1498
2 Williams Paris 1150
3 Warren Curt 1059
4 Lee Jim 1014
5 Bessa Carlos 994
6 Rossignol Jerz 975
7 Castle Kari 965
8 Zimmerman Chris 898
9 Sauer Richard 886
10 Presley Terry 827
11 Carter Kevin 811
12 Goodman Bubba 806
13 Straub Davis 733
14 Pagen Dennis 719
14 Bolt Mark 719
16 Bloom Phil 662
17 Vassort Claire 657
18 Grzyb Krzysztof 635
19 Angel Scott 632
20 Rewolinski Steve 629
21 Barber Mike 628
22 Bunner Larry 557
23 Volk Glen 516
24 Stebbins George 512
25 Funk Dean 476

Of course the pilots who went to Australia got a head start. Bo has four meets that count now and Kevin has three meets. Other pilots have only two meets that count. Both Bo and Kevin have meets with low points that can be overcome with better results in 2004.

It takes about 1,900 NTSS points to gain a place on the US National flex wing team. That means you've got to average about 475 points per meet to make it. Placing first in a fully valid, well attended meet gives you 660 points.

There are five USHGA sanctioned meets in the US in 2004 - Flytec, South Florida, Team Challenge, CXCC, US Nats. All these meets are worth at least 330 points to the flex wing winner (with a minimal number of days flying). The rest of the pilots get a percentage of the winner's points.

See https://OzReport.com/calendar.php for a list of the competition in 2004.

Bogong Cup, Day Three, Task Three »

Mon, Jan 26 2004, 2:00:00 pm EST

Akiko Suzuki|Attila Bertok|Bogong Cup 2004|Bo Hagewood|Brett Hazlett|Davis Straub|Gerolf Heinrichs|Kevin Carter|Kraig Coomber|Nichele Roberto|Oleg Bondarchuk|Oliver "Olli" Barthelmes|PG|weather

The forecast actually calls for southeast winds at about 10 to 15 kph, but this is the regional forecast and Phil Schroeder, local weatherman, doesn't feel it applies to the mountains. BTW, I earlier mistyped Len Paton's name. He was the weatherman at the Hay competitions.

Phil calls for light winds and the temperature trace that they got from the trike shows us getting to 9,000' or higher, and its cold up there. There continues to be a forecast for isolated afternoon and evening showers so it may be like the day before when the cells built in the evening. The predicted temperature at ground level is still only 30 degrees, so pretty comfortable.

The task committee decides to go to the Mystic launch over in the Ovens Valley above the town of Bright, on this Australia Day. When we get there the place is packed with paraglider pilots, but they are nice and make room for us and we fill up the setup area on the carpets at the top.

Clouds started forming over Mt. Emu in the Kiewa valley early in the day, but it is clear here at Mystic, so the chance of over development seems less. The paragliders have been in the air since at least 11:00, so it looks like we can get up. There are many spectators, which is quite unusual for us.

I have a horrible launch in open launch a few minutes after one clock, when I drop my left wing. I'll have to work on that and maybe wait for a little wind in my face to help hold up the wings. I get below launch but go over to the right side where Bo has told me that a paraglider is getting up. This thermal will take me, and many of the competitors who launch right after me to 8,000' MSL.

Bo launches right after me and we climb out to cloud base. It is an hour and fifteen minutes before the start time, but the lift is pleasant and without a wind, it is no problem to stay above the launch and float under the clouds.

The start circle is an entry start eighteen kilometers from the Ovens turnpoint down the Ovens Valley to near Myrtleford. I don't clue in on the fact that eighteen kilometers was chosen to allow pilots to get up on Mt. Buffalo before entering the start circle, although you have to go way back to the west on Buffalo to stay out of the start circle.

Bo and other pilots head out toward Buffalo but it seems to me that they will be low and in the start circle if they get to Buffalo so I hold back. Finally, with ten minutes to go, I head toward Buffalo and then realize that it is possible to get over the west side of Buffalo and stay just outside the start circle. Got to look at the map more carefully.

Mt. Buffalo burned pretty thoroughly last year. While most of the gum trees that burned throughout the hills here now have their leaves again, you see vast stretches of leafless areas over Buffalo. Now all the white rocks are exposed, which is good for us.

There are thick cloud over Buffalo and light lift. Not enough lift to get me and the few pilots near me to cloud base in time for the start time, but helpful none the less. I climb back to 7,000' with the clouds at 8,000', just get out of the start circle at 2:16 for the 2:15 start time and race across the east side of Buffalo heading toward Ovens.

The task is to take the Ovens turnpoint, then head 50 kilometers out into the flats to Maccas to the northwest, take a right turn and go 50 kilometers to the northeast to Rutherglen. There are plenty of clouds to provide the dots that we need to connect along the way. The clouds aren't thick and I see no signs of towering cu's.

Given my lower than optimal start I can't catch the lead guys, but Bo is with them and they are not too far ahead. We all climb back to 7,000' out in the valley before Ovens, grab the turnpoint and race to the west to the small north/south ridge that has worked for us before. Pilots are struggling over Myrtleford to our right as we glide for the ridge.

Once we get over on the west side of the ridge we find the strong core and there are about twenty pilots climbing up to almost 8,000' at 700 fpm. The lead guys are out just above us. There are plenty of clouds and thermal markers all the way to Maccas and we are now staying high and racing.

I'm leaving the thermals early as soon as they slow down. I've also got my VG stuck again (this time in the down tube) so I'm flying with about a third VG and not letting it off in the thermals. This is again pilot error as I didn't properly preflight the VG on launch.

We take Maccas high and head north to clouds and a ridge line. It's working there and as pilots come in behind me I move a little further into the ridge and find much better lift going from 400 fpm to 700 fpm. I climb up to the top guys and leave most of the gaggle behind.

Bo's radio is unplugged so we can't hear from him. Kevin is just a bit to my north up the ridge. It's now time to head out into the flats to the northeast and high clouds have come over making them shaded and dark. Who knows if there will be any lift out there.

Three of us are high (8,000') and there are half a dozen below us. Ten kilometers out we find 300 fpm that get back from 4,000' to 5,500' as the lower guys, including Kevin, work worse lift below us. There are no cumulus clouds and the ground is dark. The upper level clouds are spreading rapidly cutting off the lift.

We race to the light areas to the northeast down to 2,000', see Phil Schroeder turning and find 300 fpm just before we get to him. As the three of us climb up to over 4,000' a dozen pilots will come in under us at less than 2,000' and find the lift that we are working.

As we continue climbing at 300 fpm the lower pilots will move one paddock over and hook into 1,000 fpm. I move over but don't find it and head out toward goal. Looking back I see the guys that were way below us, are now way over us and only a few kilometers back.

I'm on glide from seventeen kilometers out. Bo gets on the radio at goal and says he had lift for the last eight kilometers. Unfortunately, I won't find it, but will have enough altitude to make it in by flying at best glide. Three of the pilots who got the strong thermal near us will come in over my head to goal. Phil will have to stop and work lift to make it in.

Over forty pilots will eventually make goal this day. The lift was quite strong and regular and even with the 50 kilometer shaded leg it was a reasonably fast task. I flew 120 kilometers in exactly three hours.

The high clouds cut off the growth of the cu's, so we don't experience any overdevelopment in the evening.

Results:

1

Heinrichs Gerolf

Moyes Litespeed S4

Aut

2:34:14

996

2

Barthelmes Oliver

Moyes Litespeed S4

Deu

2:36:25

961

3

Bondarchuk Oleg

Aeros Combat L 13

Ukr

2:38:51

921

4

Durand Jon Jnr

Moyes Litespeed S4

Aus

2:39:30

916

5

Hazlett Brett

Moyes Litespeed S4

Can

2:39:22

914

6

Bertok Attila

Moyes Litespeed S4.5

Hun

2:39:41

905

7

Bader Lucas

Moyes Litespeed S4

Deu

2:40:46

889

8

Hagewood Bo

Aeros Combat 2 13

Usa

2:41:13

886

9

Seib David

Moyes Litespeed S5

Aus

2:47:35

831

10

Paton Len

Moyes Litespeed S4

Aus

2:55:22

784

11

Mengelt Rolf

Moyes Litespeed

Che

2:55:23

781

12

Nichele Roberto

Wills Wing Talon 140

Che

2:58:44

755

13

Hideaki Nagamitsu

Moyes Litespeed 4

Jpn

2:58:45

749

13

Bares Radek

Aeros Combat

Cze

2:58:55

749

15

Carter Kevin

Aeros Combat L 13

Usa

2:58:52

746

16

Ando Masao

Moyes Litespeed S4

Jpn

3:00:14

738

17

Bosman Mart

Moyes Litespeed

Nld

3:00:22

737

18

Noma Yasuhiro

Moyes Litespeed S3.5

Jpn

3:00:21

735

19

Straub Davis

Airborne C2 14

Usa

3:00:52

732

20

Bussinger Diego

Moyes Litespeed S

Che

3:01:18

725

21

Durand Jon Snr

Moyes Litespeed S4.5

Aus

3:01:04

721

22

Coomber Kraig

Moyes Litespeed S

Aus

3:01:12

719

23

Kato Minoru

Icaro Laminar Mr 14

Jpn

3:01:19

718

24

Suzuki Yuji

Moyes Litespeed S3.5

Jpn

3:01:37

717

25

Crapanzano Angelo

Moyes Litespeed S4

Ita

3:02:47

713

Totals:

1

Bondarchuk Oleg

Aeros Combat L 13

Ukr

2812

2

Durand Jon Jnr

Moyes Litespeed S4

Aus

2794

3

Heinrichs Gerolf

Moyes Litespeed S4

Aut

2791

4

Bertok Attila

Moyes Litespeed S4.5

Hun

2751

5

Bader Lucas

Moyes Litespeed S4

Deu

2738

6

Hazlett Brett

Moyes Litespeed S4

Can

2710

7

Barthelmes Oliver

Moyes Litespeed S4

Deu

2651

8

Hideaki Nagamitsu

Moyes Litespeed 4

Jpn

2443

9

Bares Radek

Aeros Combat

Cze

2361

10

Paton Len

Moyes Litespeed S4

Aus

2341

11

Seib David

Moyes Litespeed S5

Aus

2312

12

Carter Kevin

Aeros Combat L 13

Usa

2285

13

Durand Jon Snr

Moyes Litespeed S4.5

Aus

2276

14

Schroder Phil

Airborne Climax C2 14

Aus

2135

15

Matsumura Takahiro

Moyes Litespeed 4

Jpn

2076

16

Bussinger Diego

Moyes Litespeed S

Che

2007

17

Hagewood Bo

Aeros Combat 2 13

Usa

2006

18

Coomber Kraig

Moyes Litespeed S

Aus

1990

19

Bosman Mart

Moyes Litespeed

Nld

1973

20

Wiener Ron

Moyes Litespeed S4

Isr

1882

Bogong Cup, Day One, Task One »

Sat, Jan 24 2004, 1:00:00 pm EST

Akiko Suzuki|Angelo Crapanzano|Attila Bertok|Bogong Cup 2004|Bo Hagewood|Brett Hazlett|Gerolf Heinrichs|Jon "Jonny" Durand jnr|Kevin Carter|Kraig Coomber|Oleg Bondarchuk|Oliver "Olli" Barthelmes|Rohan Taylor

Phil Schroeder gave us the bad news that the winds were 40 kph and above out of the northwest. The good news was that we could go to the Mt. Emu launch and get to 8,000' or higher.

There are sixty five pilots in the meet and we got real cozy on top setting up. The task was a 90 kilometer multi-turnpoint task down the Kiewa valley to Gundaring North then back up and down the valley again.

There are to be two start times, 2:30 and 3 PM. Since I didn't have such a great flight today, I discuss that below, and get to the flights made by others first, as I had a chance and time to interview them in the goal field.

Kraig and Jonny were up above launch pretty quickly after me (I was the first pilot to launch in ordered launch). We got up to 7,800' next to launch and moved forward needing to go ten kilometers to get to the thirty kilometer start circle entrance. There was a thirty kph head wind out of the north northwest. Getting to the edge of the start circle turned out to be rather difficult.

While a few pilots were in a good position to take the 2:30 start clock numerous others including Kraig, Bo, Kevin, and Jonny weren't ready to go until 3 PM. Some pilots were at 8,500' at the edge of the start circle just as three o'clock came around.

Given the upper level high winds it took almost an hour to get to the first turnpoint 30 kilometers up the ridge into the valley. Turning around for a shorter flight to Kancoona turnpoint on the other side of the valley was not so hard although Bo got low back in this slot down to 700 feet and had to work his way back low three times before finally climbing out.

Pilots noted distinct lines of lift and sink with some pilots starting near each other and losing 3000' relative to the other pilots during short glides.

Kraig and Jonny were able to make it into goal with only five pilots ahead from the 2:30 start time. We are using GAP 2002 (with help from Angelo Crapanzano) here so we'll see how the leading points bonus works out.

There was a chute deployment yesterday. Andreas Orgler, an Austrian pilot, through his chute about two kilometers from launch and landed in the trees without hurting himself. He broke his GPS, so I wasn't able to give his position. He was also able to extract his glider from the trees and pack it up. Perhaps also out to the road about 500 meters away. The word was that he was tuning his glider for reduced bar pressure.

The turbulence was pretty bad yesterday so it is understandable that a pilot got into difficulty. After I launched I found the Airborne Climax 14 difficult to control. I am beginning to think that I can't just jump on a different flex wing glider and be able to master it right away. It felt like it wanted to spiral in on the right side. Rohan gave me a different set of battens for the glider as I left Hay, and I'm beginning to think that they have induced a right turn.

I continually blame myself for whatever is going on with the glider in the air assuming that I just don't know how to fly it, and I'm such an insensitive instrument that it's hard for me to recognize there it is really something wrong with the glider (see the story of my first day in Hay flying unawares with a broken tip wand.)

Then there was the problem that I couldn't get the VG off, after I had set it at half VG on launch. I didn't pre-flight the pulley on top of the keel and I believe from a later inspection that there may have been a string off the pulley. I wasn't completely sure about that.

At the same time I was being stuck in the ribs by a sharp object that turned out to be the nozzle on the cushion I have inside my harness. I thought I had fixed that problem but didn't notice it in the hang check. Oh, well.

Still as the first pilot off in ordered launch I found the lift broken but workable even in my condition and climbed out to 7,800' MSL (the valley is about 1,000'). There were few solid cores and the edges were sharp. This is not the flatlands, and with the high winds it was a hold on tight type of situation.

Heading for the edge of the start circle was painfully slow and only those who waited and took whatever was coming up and circled back were able to make good progress. I pushed ahead and got low enough that I went out into the valley to follow the cloud streets coming across the valley.

The wind on the valley floor was lighter but the air was still quite turbulent. I was with two other pilots and after climbing back up to launch level in the middle of the valley under ragged cu's, one headed to the right to get back on the ridge, Ilan went straight up the valley, and I headed to the left into the lee side following the ragged cloud street.

The other two pilots quickly landed, and at 600' AGL I found very broken lift on the lee hill side across the valley. It took ten minutes of about zero lift in turbulence before I began to climb. It did not smooth out until I was at 4,000' MSL and climbing at 400 fpm to 7,000' MSL.

I chose to fly down the valley to connect with the next cu's. I passed up some light lift to get to a cu, but that was a big mistake as I had been falling rapidly on this course and I landed. It was just a little too far to get to the cu and I should have run back to the ridge to the east instead.

Results:

1

Heinrichs Gerolf

Moyes Litespeed S4

Aut

14:30:00

1:59:43

933

2

Durand Jon Jnr

Moyes Litespeed S4

Aus

15:00:00

1:52:48

930

3

Coomber Kraig

Moyes Litespeed S

Aus

15:00:00

1:52:49

924

4

Bondarchuk Oleg

Aeros Combat 2 13

Ukr

14:30:00

2:02:06

905

5

Hazlett Brett

Moyes Litespeed S4

Can

14:30:00

2:02:19

898

6

Bader Lucas

Moyes Litespeed S4

Deu

14:30:00

2:02:28

892

7

Bertok Attila

Moyes Litespeed S4.5

Hun

14:30:00

2:03:17

883

8

Bussinger Diego

Moyes Litespeed S

Che

15:00:00

1:57:45

861

9

Barthelmes Oliver

Moyes Litespeed S4

Deu

15:00:00

2:00:11

834

10

Pritchard Phil

Moyes Litespeed S4

Aus

14:30:00

2:23:38

748

11

Seib David

Moyes Litespeed S5

Aus

15:00:00

2:16:20

731

12

Hagewood Bo

Aeros Combat Ii 150

Usa

15:00:00

2:18:30

729

13

Hideaki Nagamitsu

Moyes Litespeed 4

Jpn

14:30:00

2:25:56

728

14

Bares Radek

Aeros Combat

Cze

15:00:00

2:19:04

718

15

Paton Len

Moyes Litespeed S4

Aus

14:30:00

2:29:59

708

16

Carter Kevin

Aeros Combat 2 13

Usa

15:00:00

2:23:29

704

17

Durand Jon Snr

Moyes Litespeed S4.5

Aus

14:30:00

2:39:48

670

18

Schroder Phil

Airborne Climax C2 14

Aus

14:30:00

2:52:05

601

19

Wiener Ron

Moyes Litespeed S4

Isr

15:00:00

2:52:08

584

20

Matsumura Takahiro

Moyes Litespeed 4

Jpn

15:00:00

2:55:57

572

21

Suzuki Yuji

Moyes Litespeed S3.5

Jpn

14:30:00

3:05:20

548

22

Berendsen Joop

Moyes Litespeed

Nld

15:00:00

3:07:41

536


Discuss Bogong Cup at the Oz Report forum

The 15th Annual Pre-Worlds 2004 - day five, task three

Mon, Jan 19 2004, 5:00:00 pm GMT

Pre-Worlds 2004

Results (thanks to Dave Seib) at:

http://www.moyes.com.au/preworlds2004/

Attila says forget about getting dinner if he is on the task committee. With the winds 10-15 kph out of the north-northeast, we call a 150 mile (242 kilometer) task south-southwest to Victoria and the Bendigo gliding club. Everyone seems up for a long straight out task, so why not.

The last time we had a task like this and we made it to goal was at the previous preworlds when Mad Dog was the meet director and he wanted to average 100 mile tasks. The lift got me to 11,000' on that day under a beautiful cloud street, but today we are forecast to get to 7,000' and it will be blue.

Being on the task committee interferes with getting into the launch line but I weasel my way in and am off third. I'm thinking that maybe the earlier start clock is the go at 1:30 (first start clock) or 1:45. I'm rushing everything to get ready and actually input the task coordinates while I'm on the cart.

Grant pulls me into 900 fpm, but the other pilots around me in the start circle seem to have poor lift and nothing is really gelling yet. I launched at 1:15 and see a couple of pilots out by the start circle circumference at 1:30, but that seems like a thin crew to go with. With poor lift in the start circle after my first climb the pilots are bobbling up and down waiting for the next start time. A few more take the 1:45.

A group of pilots heads for the edge of the circle just before the 2 PM start time and they find a thermal that drift us outside the start circle, but not far enough that we can't get back and take the 2 PM start time. Another group of pilots including the fast guys will wait and go back for the 2:15.

I'm a bit low at the start, and with a radio that will not allow me to transmit, so I head south-southeast to get near the highway to Denniliquin, which parallels the course line. There are ten or fifteen pilots in our group so it looks like I might have company. Jonny Durand has gone off my himself further upwind to the east of the highway.

With pilots out in front from the earlier start times and those who were higher at the start gate there are good markers heading down the highway. We're getting to 5,500' AGL and moving along at a good clip leaving the lift whenever it gets a bit weaker.

I'm noticing that I can't easily adjust the Litespeed VG. It has been hard before, but now I have to shake the glider to get the VG off. I also have to pull the cord across my body with my left arm to get the VG to go to a little past half way. I'm wondering what the problem is as I decide to keep the VG on at about half way and try not to mess with it.

At 80 km from the start the highway does a bit of a jog to the south east and I head out on my own over the dirt roads to the southwest paralleling the course. Yesterday I left my buddies to my great regret. On that day I already had 15 minutes on them, and if I had just stayed with Lenny I would have either won the day or come in second. The difference is that on that day I was acting on pride thinking that these guys were too slow for the likes of me. Today, it just seems like the lift is good and I'm moving in the right direction.

I'm crossing the creek six kilometers west of Waganella, and just getting light lift as I glide south-southwest. It's not enough to turn in, but it's great just to be in lift while gliding. Makes me feel good about my decision to go off on my own. Jonny Durand is to my east also on his own. No fast guys to go with him.

As I glide in the lift I hit a strong core and climb to 7,000' in the best thermal of the day so far. After that invigorating climb I'll go on a 20 kilometer glide and start searching seriously for lift at 3,000' AGL. The Edwards River is up ahead and that means trees along the river. I know that I have to find lift before I cross the trees not because I won't be able to make it over the trees, but because I won't be able to concentrate on finding lift if I also have to think about crossing the trees low.

I am searching and searching finding small bits at 1,500' and heading toward some paddocks that extend further south before the tree line hoping to extend my search before coming to the trees. I circle low in broken loft always searching when I'm finally in the last paddock before the trees and I find lift at 700'. Without a working radio, I've got to make it to goal.

I saw some pilots behind me when I first climbed out to 7,000'. Now after my low save I see three of them to my west more on the course line. I come in under them and the lift is decent to almost 7,000'. I've been on the course for over two hours now and am averaging about 55 kph.

Up ahead I can see the trees that mark the Murray River and that is the line that we cross to get from New South Wales into Victoria. The trees are to our right, west, and in some place they must be 5 kilometers across or more. Further south they appear to be thinner, and that's where I'm heading.

I can hear Bo Hagewood and Kevin Carter on the radio 15 to 20 kilometers behind me. Kevin also started at 2, but Bo took the 2:15. Bo is near the fast guys who took the 2:15 clock. It looks like in spite of my low save I'm progressing along well enough.

As I approach the trees from the east, I can see a few other pilots who are also heading south near the tree line heading for the thin spot to get over them. I come in over a red plowed field and climb out to 7,000' again. Nick, from Switzerland, and another pilot will come in a few thousand feet under me and I get high a few kilometers before the trees.

There is a small gaggle a few thousand feet below me as I head out over the trees. It looks like the fast guys are about 10 kilometers behind and I'm high and on my own. I find a good thermal in the brown fields just on the other side of the river so at 75 kilometers out from goal at 5:15 and right on the course line it looks good for getting there.

A couple of pilots come in under me but too far below me as I climb in this thermal to 6,000', so I'm on my own again going to goal. It will remain that way.

I head off to the west a bit to get over some red plowed fields as I get low and have to search again at 1,500'. I see a few little wisps of dust devils over the field, which is a good reason to go to such a field that can display the lift, drive upwind to them and climb out.

I'll have to repeat that little maneuver one more time to stay up. Meanwhile to my east the fast guys will be finding better lift and catching me as I grovel low in search more over the red fields. Bo and Kevin will be flying together and with the fast guys.

It's a slow climb out 24 kilometers from goal to 5,000', but then it looks like I can go on final glide. It's after six o'clock and I'm looking at a 15 kph tail wind, with buoyant late day air over open fields. There is some sink heading for goal, but at 15:1 L/D required to make it, I can float along until I get close and then dive in.

The last two slow climbs cost me the chance to get in early. Jonny Durand flew the whole flight on his own and won the day. Gerolf landed early.

My average L/D over the flight was 17:1, so you know that the tail wind was a big help.

On landing at goal, I had Jonny look at the glider to see what was wrong with the VG. There was a rope that had jumped out of the pulley and was jammed between the pulley and the clamp holding the pulley.

When I was setting up net to Jonny in the morning at the tow paddock. I had mentioned to him how the Climax VG was much more user friendly, easier to pull, less rope. He stated that that was fine, but he had heard that Rohan had had a problem with the rope jumping from the pulley, so there were problems with the Climax VG, implying that there weren't with the Litespeed VG.

I guess God heard him and punished me by having my rope jump off the VG and then having Jonny find it. I spoke with Rohan at goal and he said that it did happen to him once on the Climax in Brazil and that it was on a prototype setup. Kraig and Jonny were very helpful and took that glider to be fixed. Again, I found something that no one had found before. I'm wonder now if this has been my problem with the VG being hard to pull (part of it being user unfriendly) all along.

Task 3:

0in 5.4pt; height:13.2pt">

1

0in 5.4pt; height:13.2pt">

Durand Jon Jnr.

0in 5.4pt; height:13.2pt">

Moyes Litespeed S4

0in 5.4pt; height:13.2pt">

Aus

0in 5.4pt; height:13.2pt">

14:00:00

0in 5.4pt; height:13.2pt">

18:00:48

0in 5.4pt; height:13.2pt">

4:00:48

0in 5.4pt; height:13.2pt">

977

0in 5.4pt; height:13.2pt">

2

0in 5.4pt; height:13.2pt">

Bondarchuk Oleg

0in 5.4pt; height:13.2pt">

Aeros Combat 2 13

0in 5.4pt; height:13.2pt">

Ukr

0in 5.4pt; height:13.2pt">

14:15:00

0in 5.4pt; height:13.2pt">

18:15:07

0in 5.4pt; height:13.2pt">

4:00:07

0in 5.4pt; height:13.2pt">

961

0in 5.4pt; height:13.2pt">

3

0in 5.4pt; height:13.2pt">

Hazlett Brett

0in 5.4pt; height:13.2pt">

Moyes Litespeed S4

0in 5.4pt; height:13.2pt">

Can

0in 5.4pt; height:13.2pt">

14:15:00

0in 5.4pt; height:13.2pt">

18:15:08

0in 5.4pt; height:13.2pt">

4:00:08

0in 5.4pt; height:13.2pt">

955

0in 5.4pt; height:13.2pt">

4

0in 5.4pt; height:13.2pt">

Coomber Kraig

0in 5.4pt; height:13.2pt">

Moyes Litespeed S

0in 5.4pt; height:13.2pt">

Aus

0in 5.4pt; height:13.2pt">

14:15:00

0in 5.4pt; height:13.2pt">

18:15:24

0in 5.4pt; height:13.2pt">

4:00:24

0in 5.4pt; height:13.2pt">

945

0in 5.4pt; height:13.2pt">

5

0in 5.4pt; height:13.2pt">

Bader Lucas

0in 5.4pt; height:13.2pt">

Moyes Litespeed S

0in 5.4pt; height:13.2pt">

Deu

0in 5.4pt; height:13.2pt">

14:15:00

0in 5.4pt; height:13.2pt">

18:15:32

0in 5.4pt; height:13.2pt">

4:00:32

0in 5.4pt; height:13.2pt">

939

0in 5.4pt; height:13.2pt">

5

0in 5.4pt; height:13.2pt">

Hagewood Bo

0in 5.4pt; height:13.2pt">

Aeros Combat Ii 150

0in 5.4pt; height:13.2pt">

Usa

0in 5.4pt; height:13.2pt">

14:15:00

0in 5.4pt; height:13.2pt">

18:15:32

0in 5.4pt; height:13.2pt">

4:00:32

0in 5.4pt; height:13.2pt">

939

0in 5.4pt; height:13.2pt">

7

0in 5.4pt; height:13.2pt">

Barthelmes Oliver

0in 5.4pt; height:13.2pt">

Moyes Litespeed S4

0in 5.4pt; height:13.2pt">

Deu

0in 5.4pt; height:13.2pt">

14:15:00

0in 5.4pt; height:13.2pt">

18:15:39

0in 5.4pt; height:13.2pt">

4:00:39

0in 5.4pt; height:13.2pt">

930

0in 5.4pt; height:13.2pt">

8

0in 5.4pt; height:13.2pt">

Bosman Mart

0in 5.4pt; height:13.2pt">

Moyes Litespeed

0in 5.4pt; height:13.2pt">

Nld

0in 5.4pt; height:13.2pt">

14:15:00

0in 5.4pt; height:13.2pt">

18:15:40

0in 5.4pt; height:13.2pt">

4:00:40

0in 5.4pt; height:13.2pt">

927

0in 5.4pt; height:13.2pt">

9

0in 5.4pt; height:13.2pt">

Hideaki Nagamitsu

0in 5.4pt; height:13.2pt">

Moyes Litespeed 4

0in 5.4pt; height:13.2pt">

Jpn

0in 5.4pt; height:13.2pt">

14:15:00

0in 5.4pt; height:13.2pt">

18:15:56

0in 5.4pt; height:13.2pt">

4:00:56

0in 5.4pt; height:13.2pt">

918

0in 5.4pt; height:13.2pt">

10

0in 5.4pt; height:13.2pt">

Bares Radek

0in 5.4pt; height:13.2pt">

Aeros Combat

0in 5.4pt; height:13.2pt">

Cze

0in 5.4pt; height:13.2pt">

14:15:00

0in 5.4pt; height:13.2pt">

18:16:03

0in 5.4pt; height:13.2pt">

4:01:03

0in 5.4pt; height:13.2pt">

912

Totals after three days:

0in 5.4pt; height:13.2pt">

1

0in 5.4pt; height:13.2pt">

Hazlett Brett

0in 5.4pt; height:13.2pt">

Moyes Litespeed S4

0in 5.4pt; height:13.2pt">

Can

0in 5.4pt; height:13.2pt">

2804

0in 5.4pt; height:13.2pt">

2

0in 5.4pt; height:13.2pt">

Bondarchuk Oleg

0in 5.4pt; height:13.2pt">

Aeros Combat 2 13

0in 5.4pt; height:13.2pt">

Ukr

0in 5.4pt; height:13.2pt">

2745

0in 5.4pt; height:13.2pt">

3

0in 5.4pt; height:13.2pt">

Durand Jon Jnr.

0in 5.4pt; height:13.2pt">

Moyes Litespeed S4

0in 5.4pt; height:13.2pt">

Aus

0in 5.4pt; height:13.2pt">

2696

0in 5.4pt; height:13.2pt">

4

0in 5.4pt; height:13.2pt">

Coomber Kraig

0in 5.4pt; height:13.2pt">

Moyes Litespeed S

0in 5.4pt; height:13.2pt">

Aus

0in 5.4pt; height:13.2pt">

2665

0in 5.4pt; height:13.2pt">

5

0in 5.4pt; height:13.2pt">

Holtkamp Rohan

0in 5.4pt; height:13.2pt">

Airborne Climax 13

0in 5.4pt; height:13.2pt">

Aus

0in 5.4pt; height:13.2pt">

2609

0in 5.4pt; height:13.2pt">

6

0in 5.4pt; height:13.2pt">

Moyes Steve

0in 5.4pt; height:13.2pt">

Moyes Litespeed S5

0in 5.4pt; height:13.2pt">

Aus

0in 5.4pt; height:13.2pt">

2535

0in 5.4pt; height:13.2pt">

7

0in 5.4pt; height:13.2pt">

Barthelmes Oliver

0in 5.4pt; height:13.2pt">

Moyes Litespeed S4

0in 5.4pt; height:13.2pt">

Deu

0in 5.4pt; height:13.2pt">

2428

0in 5.4pt; height:13.2pt">

8

0in 5.4pt; height:13.2pt">

Bares Radek

0in 5.4pt; height:13.2pt">

Aeros Combat

0in 5.4pt; height:13.2pt">

Cze

0in 5.4pt; height:13.2pt">

2332

0in 5.4pt; height:13.2pt">

9

0in 5.4pt; height:13.2pt">

Durand Jon Snr

0in 5.4pt; height:13.2pt">

Moyes Litespeed S4.5

0in 5.4pt; height:13.2pt">

Aus

0in 5.4pt; height:13.2pt">

2328

0in 5.4pt; height:13.2pt">

10

0in 5.4pt; height:13.2pt">

Orgler Andreas

0in 5.4pt; height:13.2pt">

Moyes Litespeed S

0in 5.4pt; height:13.2pt">

Aut

0in 5.4pt; height:13.2pt">

2238

Oliver Barthelmes «oliverbarthelmes» sends in this shot of a tow in the dust at Hay:

Discuss "The 15th Annual Pre-Worlds 2004 - day five, task three" at the Oz Report forum   link»

Hay Open - day three »

Fri, Jan 9 2004, 12:00:00 pm EST

Aeros Combat|Attila Bertok|Belinda Boulter|Bo Hagewood|Brett Hazlett|cart|Davis Straub|Grant Heaney|Hay Open 2004|Jon "Jonny" Durand jnr|Jon Durand jnr|Kraig Coomber|Oleg Bondarchuk|Oliver Barthelmes|Rohan Holtkamp|Rohan Taylor|Tove Heaney|weather

The weather turns with "light" winds out of the west. We're out of the paddock at 11:30 and it is completely pleasant with temperatures in the mid twenties. They don't seem to grow grass here for the sheep, but let them eat the weeds that do show up when the rains have come through. Still it is most pleasant with no blowing sand like last year.

A most interesting task is called, with a 70 k downwind leg east along the Murrumbidgee, then a 50 k cross wind north to Goolgowi, and a final leg at 29 kilometers back west on the Midwestern Highway to Gunbar. It's a good long task at slightly less than 100 miles, and with cross wind and upwind legs making the task progressively more difficult it should test the skills and patience of experienced competition pilots.

I spend all my time in the tow paddock getting ready for the upcoming task, and working as quickly as I can after getting there reasonably early, I'm the sixth pilot in line to be towed up by Grant Heaney. I haven't been this far back in years, but seeing as how I'm flying a flex wing for the first time in big time competition in at least five years, I'm happy to have other pilots in the air ahead of me to spot the thermals in the start circle.

Moyes has got three Dragonflies pulling up a hoard of folks and Grant's got ten pilots to pull up also. The cart's set for way too high a nose angle, so I have Belinda pull out the pins so that when it gets to me I've got a fighting chance of keeping the glider from stalling and still on the cart. I might even push up the keel rest a bit more tomorrow.

We've got a 12:30 launch open window and a start time of 1:30, open for 15 minute intervals thereafter. Pilots are late getting going, and I'm not in the air until almost 1:30. The tow is as gentle a tow as I've every had, and a really appreciate the Airborne C2. It is my understanding that since I last flew it last year they have solved the problem of yawing through a different design of the tips. I'm having no problem with one half VG and the staying behind the trike.

Grant drops me off at 1,700' AGL with a couple of gliders turning and I'm back in that Hay air that we love so much. With the good breeze out of the east we drift quickly downwind as we slowly climb up to a little less than 5,000' AGL. With the brisk breeze we are quickly approaching the circumference of the 10 kilometer start circle.

The pilots who got earlier tows including Gerolf, Oleg and Bo are in a gaggle in front of us taking the 1:45 start time, but getting stuck in a thermal 1.5 kilometers past the start cylinder. Bo will decide to come back and take the 2 PM start time with Jonny Durand, Brett Hazlett, myself and a couple of other pilots. We really had no choice, as we drifted past the start circumference also and had to come back for the 2 PM start time losing a good bit of altitude.

Thankfully the task and the wind takes us right along the river road so we can head downwind with no worries. There is a strong inversion near 5,000', high clouds and no cu's, so it will be a blue day in Hay.

I'm trying to remember to push out in thermal to help coordinate the turns. This was something that I didn't have to do on the ATOS (in fact it is not a good idea). I'm still trying to to get the glider to turn with just weight shift in roll, but it certainly isn't helping me stay up too well with the others.

We've got a 20 kph tail wind every once in a while we'll find almost 500 fpm lift. For me, the lift is broken unless I can get the glider twirling which happens every so often when I remember to push out. I'm losing the fastest four gliders that I'm not able to climb with and head a bit to their right (south) to get closer to the river. Jonny and Bo are out there also and we hit much better lift and get to almost 6,000' AGL.

This gets us into the first turnpoint, on the road going north to Goolgowi, where we find more lift before we have to start the cross wind leg. I've got Bo on my left heading a bit more upwind on this leg, with Jonny out in front more along the course line. I split the difference until Bo finds the good lift and I join him as Jonny disappears.

Three other pilots out in the lead are to our right and groveling now on the deck as they get swept to the east by the wind. Bo goes too far and has to come back to join me in a thermal that gets us high and attracts five other pilots as we push our way north on a 345° bearing toward a turnpoint that is at 360°.

In a few thermal we find Jonny again as he had to save himself while out there alone. Gerolf and Oleg are apparently out there in front of us going down near the second turnpoint. As the upwind leg comes next I want to be sure to be high at this turnpoint and work upwind and in lift in order to be able to drift into the turnpoint climbing.

I see pilots low around the turnpoint and some drifting back east past the turnpoint just trying to get back up and save themselves for the upwind leg.

We are all spread out now. Bo and Rohan are in the lead on this upwind leg taking it carefully to make sure that they can make goal. I get down to 1,400' AGL, but find strong lift back to 6,000' AGL, while only losing a couple of kilometers. There is enough help around to be able to take a few chances and plung ahead to the next thermal.

I'm nervous about not making goal in the strong headwind, and climb in a strong thermal 7 k from goal until the L/D required to make goal is 5.9 to 1. This turns out to be plenty to make goal with 1000' of altitude above the goal. I'm the eight pilot in. Rohan was the first in.

Results:

1 Durand, Jon Jnr., 46 Moyes Litespeed 4 Aus 14:00:00 18:14:32 4:14:32 948
2 Hagewood, Bo, 30 Aeros Combat Ii 150 Usa 14:01:00 18:20:49 4:19:49 908
3 Coomber, Kraig, 77 Moyes Litespeed S Aus 15:00:00 19:07:50 4:07:50 887
4 Hazlett, Brett, 60 Moyes Litespeed S4 Can 13:45:00 18:17:23 4:32:23 879
5 Moyes, Steve, 61 Moyes Litespeed 5 Aus 14:00:00 18:28:36 4:28:36 870
6 Itagaki, Naoki, 14 Moyes Litespeed S4 Jpn 13:45:00 18:18:57 4:33:57 869
7 Barthelmes, Oliver, 25 Moyes Litesport S4 Deu 15:00:00 19:10:18 4:10:18 860
8 Seib, David, 33 Moyes Litespeed S5 Aus 14:00:00 18:37:30 4:37:30 831
9 Bader, Lucas, 22 Moyes Litespeed S Deu 13:45:00 18:31:52 4:46:52 822
10 Straub, Davis, 38 Airborne C2 Usa 14:00:00 18:40:52 4:40:52 817
11 Crapanzano, Angelo, 29 Moyes Litespeed S4 Ita 14:00:00 18:41:16 4:41:16 813
12 Bertok, Attila, 59 Moyes Litespeed S45 Hun 14:30:00 19:08:01 4:38:01 780
13 Thompson, Mark, 56 Moyes Litespeed 4 Aus 13:45:00 18:42:39 4:57:39 779
14 Paton, Len, 58 Moyes Litespeed S4 Aus 14:00:00 19:06:41 5:06:41 732
15 Holtkamp, Rohan, 9 Airborne C2 Aus 12:30:00 18:12:45 5:42:45 731
16 Bussinger, Diego, 40 Moyes Litespeed S Che 14:15:00 19:18:10 5:03:10 718
17 Heaney, Tove, 52 Moyes Litespeed 4 Aus 14:00:00 19:15:53 5:15:53 702
18 Keijzer, De, 12 Icaro Laminar Mr 14 Nld 13:45:00 19:15:40 5:30:40 682
19 Barnes, Andrew, 42 Moyes Litespeed S35 Aus 13:45:00 19:37:50 5:52:50 625


Discuss Hay Open at the Oz Report forum

Discuss "Hay Open - day three" at the Oz Report forum   link»

Photo/Caption contest »

Fri, Nov 14 2003, 2:00:07 pm EST

Andrew "Drew" Harris|Bo Hagewood|calendar|Curt Warren|David Prentice|Davis Straub|Florida|John Corry|PG|photo|Quest Air|record

andrew harris « randrew999» writes:

Curt Warren and David Prentice held a small maneuvers clinic here in Florida this past week. They mainly boat towed on Little Lake Harris and Lake Minneola (both within 20 minutes of Quest Air). This picture is Bo Hagewood launching with Dave in the foreground and Curt driving the boat while Jethro "Superstud" operates the winch. It was all great to watch and there's no reason that paragliding cannot take off around here!!

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Bo goes

Sat, Oct 18 2003, 6:00:02 am EDT

finally, big flights in Florida

Bo Hagewood|Curt Warren|Florida

Curt Warren «fly» writes:

Bo's over at my house now, sittin' poolside, beer in hand, after a 107 mile flight from Quest to my hang gliding school, here on the gulf of Mexico, in Venice (FL).

At about 5 pm, I was wondering how much shrimp to pull out of the fridge…"hmmm, who's coming over for dinner tonight? -oh ya, Bo said he's gonna' try and fly over", then I walked out to check the sky…and there he was at about 1500 feet! - Whoa.

He reported an incredible day, with plentiful 600 fpm lift. Ten mph NE wind, and a 5000' cloudbase greased (SKY jelly?) the way the here. We're guessing the next few days will be cooking as well:)

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2003 Team Challenge »

Fri, Sep 26 2003, 9:00:01 pm GMT

Aeros Combat|Bo Hagewood|Brad Gryder|Davis Straub|Kevin Carter|Oliver "Ollie" Gregory|Steve Rewolinski|Team Challenge 2003|Wills Wing|World Record Encampment

The day dawns gray with fog below and gray skies above. The forecast looks good, but reality isn’t matching up to the forecast. Speaking of which, BLIPMAP predictions of lift this week have been too high, except on the second day.

As we head out at 12:30 to get to Dr. Dale’s for another day of towing from this great pre-flight park, the sky has opened up and the gray is revealed to be towering cu’s on both sides of the valley over the plateaus (of course, it’s blue in the valley). The launch doesn’t open until 2 PM, as we’ve all been launching later in the day.

I’m in second behind Revo so when Revo gets ready without me noticing I have to scramble to get in line a few pilots behind him. Bo has taken Revo to the plateau on the east side of the valley next to Dr. Dale’s. I have Brad tow me there also and I let off five hundred feet below Revo.

Revo, Ollie Gregory, Steve Larson, and I very slowly climb up on the ridge line to over 3,500’ AGL under the clouds. We are in the five mile start circle and only Steve has made a break for it to go on course. The remaining three of us spend over half an hour just hanging in the start circle.

Revo breaks for it when he sees that the clouds are lining up for us. Ollie and I are right with him, and soon I’m in the lead. It’s a six mile glide to the north side of highway 111 where I find the best thermal of the day on the west facing face of the ridge under a newly forming cloud.

We climb from 2,400’ AGL to 4,200’ under the cloud and I go on glide in front as Revo and Ollie continue to climb. There is a cloud right on the course line and as I’m way above its base, I fly to the left and get on the side of the cloud. As I continue straight on the course I climb up the side of the cloud, what fun. This looks good. I’m fourteen miles from goal and at 4,300’ AGL (17:1).

Revo and Ollie are gliding about a mile behind me and watching. Steve is further in on the plateau gliding at about where Revo and Ollie are.

At nine miles out I’m at 3,200’ AGL (15:1) having flown along the edge of the ridge under clouds. I’ve lost only 1,100’ in five miles of gliding. The vario is saying that I have the goal field with plenty of altitude if the sink and lift net out to zero on the way in.

The light sink quits and the strong sink begins. In the next 6.5 miles I’ll lose 3,200’ (11:1) and land 2.8 miles short of goal. Revo will land a mile behind me and Ollie and Steve a mile behind him. My average speed on the course will be 40 mph (including the time taken to thermal up). My time on all but 2.8 miles of the 21.8 mile (26.8-5 mile start circle) course is 29 minutes.

Ollie will pound in hard and knock himself out. He is taken to the hospital for x-rays then released. He also took out two downtubes, but no other damage to his ATOS. Ollie came into a field too low, had to fly under a power line, was going fast downhill for a fence and had to stop himself before he hit the fence. Steve Larson had just landed in the field on the northern half going up hill stopping before the power line. Ollie came around into the wind at 4 feet over Steve’s head.

Meanwhile back at the tow field, pilots have lined up behind us and are getting pulled up to spots all over the valley. Terry Presley get dropped off in a blue hole, slowly climbs, and twice tries to make it to the eastern ridge where I got let off. He fails both times and has to run back to the valley. Finally he decides to go to the western ridge and is down to 300 feet AGL when he gets a pop and starts climbing.

Bo has been towing all of us up all week along with Brad Gryder. Bo is always the last one to launch as Brad pulls him up just before 5 PM. We’ve been on the ground for an hour.

Bo heads for the western side of the valley. He gets on course late and hooks up with Terry Presley. They both make goal together. Kevin Carter goes as far as goal, but isn’t able to get from the western side over to the goal field on the eastern side of the valley.

Task 5:

0in 5.4pt">
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Name

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Glider

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Start

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Finish

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Total

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1

0in 5.4pt; height:13.2pt">

HAGEWOOD, Bo

0in 5.4pt; height:13.2pt">

Aeros Combat 2

0in 5.4pt; height:13.2pt">

17:13:05

0in 5.4pt; height:13.2pt">

18:22:23

0in 5.4pt 0in 5.4pt; height:13.2pt">

984

0in 5.4pt; height:13.2pt">

2

0in 5.4pt; height:13.2pt">

PRESLEY, Terry

0in 5.4pt; height:13.2pt">

Moyes Litespeed

0in 5.4pt; height:13.2pt">

17:07:15

0in 5.4pt; height:13.2pt">

18:22:44

0in 5.4pt 0in 5.4pt; height:13.2pt">

937

0in 5.4pt; height:13.2pt">

3

0in 5.4pt; height:13.2pt">

CARTER, Kevin, 4

0in 5.4pt; height:13.2pt">

Moyes CSX

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0in 5.4pt; height:13.2pt">

 

0in 5.4pt 0in 5.4pt; height:13.2pt">

746

0in 5.4pt; height:13.2pt">

4

0in 5.4pt; height:13.2pt">

STRAUB, Davis, 24

0in 5.4pt; height:13.2pt">

Air ATOS C

0in 5.4pt; height:13.2pt">

 

0in 5.4pt; height:13.2pt">

 

0in 5.4pt 0in 5.4pt; height:13.2pt">

713

0in 5.4pt; height:13.2pt">

5

0in 5.4pt; height:13.2pt">

REWOLINSKI, Steve

0in 5.4pt; height:13.2pt">

Icaro WRE700

0in 5.4pt; height:13.2pt">

 

0in 5.4pt; height:13.2pt">

 

0in 5.4pt 0in 5.4pt; height:13.2pt">

693

0in 5.4pt; height:13.2pt">

6

0in 5.4pt; height:13.2pt">

LARSON, Steve, 6

0in 5.4pt; height:13.2pt">

Flight Design Exxtacy

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0in 5.4pt; height:13.2pt">

 

0in 5.4pt 0in 5.4pt; height:13.2pt">

666

0in 5.4pt; height:13.2pt">

6

0in 5.4pt; height:13.2pt">

GREGORY, Ollie

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Air ATOS C

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0in 5.4pt; height:13.2pt">

 

0in 5.4pt 0in 5.4pt; height:13.2pt">

666

0in 5.4pt; height:13.2pt">

8

0in 5.4pt; height:13.2pt">

HUNTER, Brian

0in 5.4pt; height:13.2pt">

Aeros Stealth

0in 5.4pt; height:13.2pt">

 

0in 5.4pt; height:13.2pt">

 

0in 5.4pt 0in 5.4pt; height:13.2pt">

640

0in 5.4pt; height:13.2pt">

9

0in 5.4pt; height:13.2pt">

SALAMONE, Linda

0in 5.4pt; height:13.2pt">

Wills Wing Fusion

0in 5.4pt; height:13.2pt">

 

0in 5.4pt; height:13.2pt">

 

0in 5.4pt 0in 5.4pt; height:13.2pt">

500

0in 5.4pt; height:13.2pt">

10

0in 5.4pt; height:13.2pt">

BURRICK, Carl

0in 5.4pt; height:13.2pt">

Airborne Climax

0in 5.4pt; height:13.2pt">

 

0in 5.4pt; height:13.2pt">

 

0in 5.4pt 0in 5.4pt; height:13.2pt">

376

Cumulative:

0in 5.4pt">
0in 5.4pt; height:13.2pt">

 

0in 5.4pt; height:13.2pt">

Name

0in 5.4pt; height:13.2pt">

Glider

0in 5.4pt; height:13.2pt">

Total

0in 5.4pt; height:13.2pt">

1

0in 5.4pt; height:13.2pt">

PRESLEY, Terry

0in 5.4pt; height:13.2pt">

Moyes Litespeed

0in 5.4pt; height:13.2pt">

2468

0in 5.4pt; height:13.2pt">

2

0in 5.4pt; height:13.2pt">

HAGEWOOD, Bo

0in 5.4pt; height:13.2pt">

Aeros Combat 2

0in 5.4pt; height:13.2pt">

2462

0in 5.4pt; height:13.2pt">

3

0in 5.4pt; height:13.2pt">

REWOLINSKI, Steve

0in 5.4pt; height:13.2pt">

Icaro WRE700

0in 5.4pt; height:13.2pt">

2361

0in 5.4pt; height:13.2pt">

4

0in 5.4pt; height:13.2pt">

STRAUB, Davis

0in 5.4pt; height:13.2pt">

Air ATOS C

0in 5.4pt; height:13.2pt">

2303

0in 5.4pt; height:13.2pt">

5

0in 5.4pt; height:13.2pt">

HUNTER, Brian

0in 5.4pt; height:13.2pt">

Aeros Stealth

0in 5.4pt; height:13.2pt">

1798

0in 5.4pt; height:13.2pt">

6

0in 5.4pt; height:13.2pt">

GREGORY, Ollie

0in 5.4pt; height:13.2pt">

Air ATOS C

0in 5.4pt; height:13.2pt">

1758

0in 5.4pt; height:13.2pt">

7

0in 5.4pt; height:13.2pt">

CARTER, Kevin, 4

0in 5.4pt; height:13.2pt">

Moyes CSX

0in 5.4pt; height:13.2pt">

1713

0in 5.4pt; height:13.2pt">

8

0in 5.4pt; height:13.2pt">

SALAMONE, Linda

0in 5.4pt; height:13.2pt">

Wills Wing Fusion

0in 5.4pt; height:13.2pt">

1496

0in 5.4pt; height:13.2pt">

9

0in 5.4pt; height:13.2pt">

SLOCUM, Jack, 20

0in 5.4pt; height:13.2pt">

Icaro Laminar

0in 5.4pt; height:13.2pt">

1458

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10

0in 5.4pt; height:13.2pt">

HAYWOOD, John

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Wills Wing Talon

0in 5.4pt; height:13.2pt">

1411

Teams:

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BLIND SQUIRRELS

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BUBBLE BOYS

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BELOW ME

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TRAVEL GUYS

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SMOKING CHICKENS

Discuss the Team Challenge at OzReport.com/forum/phpBB2

Discuss "2003 Team Challenge" at the Oz Report forum   link»

2003 Team Challenge »

Thu, Sep 25 2003, 8:00:01 am GMT

Aeros Combat|Bo Hagewood|Davis Straub|Kevin Carter|Oliver "Ollie" Gregory|Steve Rewolinski|Team Challenge 2003|Wills Wing|World Record Encampment

Inversion at about four thousand feet. That’s the main story for the day. Also light winds out of the south.

There were no cu’s – see the fact that there was an inversion. We decided that the best route would be to go ten miles south of Dunlap to Dr. Dale’s farm and grass airstrip so that we could tow up behind Bo and Brad piloting Dragonflies. The farm is beautiful, of course, and we again have access to way more resources than we deserve.

I’m the first to launch at near 2 PM, with no signs of lift around. But there is in fact light lift to 3,000’ AGL in the middle of the valley. I spend an hour in the five mile start circle slowly getting up and waiting for others. After forty minutes I get high enough to run over to the west ridge to see if there is better lift on the ridge than in the valley. I find good lift and get to 3,500’ AGL.

Terry Presley and Ollie Gregory chase after me after seeing me get up, get flushed and run back, to where they finally land inside the five mile start circle to get a late relaunch. I don’t find any more lift down the ridge and go down at 9 miles out.

The smart guys stay in the weak lift in the middle of the valley and trickle down toward the goal 26 miles to the northeast. Revo is the only one to make it to goal. Bo gets close.

Task 2:

0in 5.4pt">
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Name

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Glider

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Time

0in 5.4pt; height:13.2pt">

Total

0in 5.4pt; height:13.2pt">

1

0in 5.4pt; height:13.2pt">

STRAUB, Davis, 24

0in 5.4pt; height:13.2pt">

Air ATOS C

0in 5.4pt; height:13.2pt">

0:40:01

0in 5.4pt; height:13.2pt">

821

0in 5.4pt; height:13.2pt">

2

0in 5.4pt; height:13.2pt">

HAGEWOOD, Bo

0in 5.4pt; height:13.2pt">

Aeros Combat 2

0in 5.4pt; height:13.2pt">

0:44:43

0in 5.4pt; height:13.2pt">

738

0in 5.4pt; height:13.2pt">

3

0in 5.4pt; height:13.2pt">

REWOLINSKI, Steve

0in 5.4pt; height:13.2pt">

Icaro WRE700

0in 5.4pt; height:13.2pt">

1:00:57

0in 5.4pt; height:13.2pt">

641

0in 5.4pt; height:13.2pt">

4

0in 5.4pt; height:13.2pt">

PRESLEY, Terry

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Moyes Litespeed

0in 5.4pt; height:13.2pt">

1:01:11

0in 5.4pt; height:13.2pt">

635

0in 5.4pt; height:13.2pt">

5

0in 5.4pt; height:13.2pt">

FINGER, Jim, 23

0in 5.4pt; height:13.2pt">

Wills Wing Talon

0in 5.4pt; height:13.2pt">

1:06:13

0in 5.4pt; height:13.2pt">

609

0in 5.4pt; height:13.2pt">

6

0in 5.4pt; height:13.2pt">

HUNTER, Brian, 22

0in 5.4pt; height:13.2pt">

Aeros Stealth

0in 5.4pt; height:13.2pt">

1:23:15

0in 5.4pt; height:13.2pt">

569

0in 5.4pt; height:13.2pt">

7

0in 5.4pt; height:13.2pt">

JOHNSTON, Joe

0in 5.4pt; height:13.2pt">

Wills Wing Talon

0in 5.4pt; height:13.2pt">

1:37:21

0in 5.4pt; height:13.2pt">

519

0in 5.4pt; height:13.2pt">

8

0in 5.4pt; height:13.2pt">

HAYWOOD, John

0in 5.4pt; height:13.2pt">

Wills Wing Talon

0in 5.4pt; height:13.2pt">

2:08:26

0in 5.4pt; height:13.2pt">

518

0in 5.4pt; height:13.2pt">

9

0in 5.4pt; height:13.2pt">

CARDEN, Eric, 10

0in 5.4pt; height:13.2pt">

Moyes Litespeed

0in 5.4pt; height:13.2pt">

1:49:01

0in 5.4pt; height:13.2pt">

517

0in 5.4pt; height:13.2pt">

10

0in 5.4pt; height:13.2pt">

CARTER, Kevin, 4

0in 5.4pt; height:13.2pt">

Moyes CSX

0in 5.4pt; height:13.2pt">

23.20

0in 5.4pt; height:13.2pt">

493

Task 3:

0in 5.4pt">
0in 5.4pt; height:13.2pt">

 

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Name

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Glider

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Time

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mph

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miles

0in 5.4pt; height:13.2pt">

Total

0in 5.4pt; height:13.2pt">

1

0in 5.4pt; height:13.2pt">

REWOLINSKI, Steve

0in 5.4pt; height:13.2pt">

Icaro WRE700

0in 5.4pt; height:13.2pt">

0:59:55

0in 5.4pt; height:13.2pt">

26.98

0in 5.4pt; height:13.2pt">

26.9

0in 5.4pt; height:13.2pt">

533

0in 5.4pt; height:13.2pt">

2

0in 5.4pt; height:13.2pt">

HAGEWOOD, Bo

0in 5.4pt; height:13.2pt">

Aeros Combat 2

0in 5.4pt; height:13.2pt">

 

0in 5.4pt; height:13.2pt">

 

0in 5.4pt; height:13.2pt">

23.1

0in 5.4pt; height:13.2pt">

413

0in 5.4pt; height:13.2pt">

3

0in 5.4pt; height:13.2pt">

LEONARD, Scott, 5

0in 5.4pt; height:13.2pt">

Wills Wing Talon

0in 5.4pt; height:13.2pt">

 

0in 5.4pt; height:13.2pt">

 

0in 5.4pt; height:13.2pt">

19.9

0in 5.4pt; height:13.2pt">

379

0in 5.4pt; height:13.2pt">

4

0in 5.4pt; height:13.2pt">

GREGORY, Ollie, 11

0in 5.4pt; height:13.2pt">

Air ATOS C

0in 5.4pt; height:13.2pt">

 

0in 5.4pt; height:13.2pt">

 

0in 5.4pt; height:13.2pt">

14.8

0in 5.4pt; height:13.2pt">

325

0in 5.4pt; height:13.2pt">

4

0in 5.4pt; height:13.2pt">

HAYWOOD, John

0in 5.4pt; height:13.2pt">

Wills Wing Talon

0in 5.4pt; height:13.2pt">

 

0in 5.4pt; height:13.2pt">

 

0in 5.4pt; height:13.2pt">

14.8

0in 5.4pt; height:13.2pt">

325

0in 5.4pt; height:13.2pt">

6

0in 5.4pt; height:13.2pt">

PRESLEY, Terry

0in 5.4pt; height:13.2pt">

Moyes Litespeed

0in 5.4pt; height:13.2pt">

 

0in 5.4pt; height:13.2pt">

 

0in 5.4pt; height:13.2pt">

14.4

0in 5.4pt; height:13.2pt">

319

0in 5.4pt; height:13.2pt">

7

0in 5.4pt; height:13.2pt">

CARTER, Kevin, 4

0in 5.4pt; height:13.2pt">

Moyes CSX

0in 5.4pt; height:13.2pt">

 

0in 5.4pt; height:13.2pt">

 

0in 5.4pt; height:13.2pt">

9.4

0in 5.4pt; height:13.2pt">

251

0in 5.4pt; height:13.2pt">

8

0in 5.4pt; height:13.2pt">

STRAUB, Davis, 24

0in 5.4pt; height:13.2pt">

Air ATOS C

0in 5.4pt; height:13.2pt">

 

0in 5.4pt; height:13.2pt">

 

0in 5.4pt; height:13.2pt">

8.9

0in 5.4pt; height:13.2pt">

246

0in 5.4pt; height:13.2pt">

9

0in 5.4pt; height:13.2pt">

LAUGHREY, Jeff

0in 5.4pt; height:13.2pt">

Wills Wing Talon

0in 5.4pt; height:13.2pt">

 

0in 5.4pt; height:13.2pt">

 

0in 5.4pt; height:13.2pt">

7.1

0in 5.4pt; height:13.2pt">

222

0in 5.4pt; height:13.2pt">

10

0in 5.4pt; height:13.2pt">

HUNTER, Brian, 22

0in 5.4pt; height:13.2pt">

Aeros Stealth

0in 5.4pt; height:13.2pt">

 

0in 5.4pt; height:13.2pt">

 

0in 5.4pt; height:13.2pt">

6.8

0in 5.4pt; height:13.2pt">

218

0in 5.4pt; height:13.2pt">

10

0in 5.4pt; height:13.2pt">

LARSON, Steve, 6

0in 5.4pt; height:13.2pt">

Flight Design Exxtacy

0in 5.4pt; height:13.2pt">

 

0in 5.4pt; height:13.2pt">

 

0in 5.4pt; height:13.2pt">

6.8

0in 5.4pt; height:13.2pt">

218

0in 5.4pt; height:13.2pt">

10

0in 5.4pt; height:13.2pt">

BURRICK, Carl, 13

0in 5.4pt; height:13.2pt">

Airborne Climax

0in 5.4pt; height:13.2pt">

 

0in 5.4pt; height:13.2pt">

 

0in 5.4pt; height:13.2pt">

6.8

0in 5.4pt; height:13.2pt">

218

Cumulative:

0in 5.4pt">
0in 5.4pt; height:13.2pt">

 

0in 5.4pt; height:13.2pt">

Name

0in 5.4pt; height:13.2pt">

Glider

0in 5.4pt; height:13.2pt">

Total

0in 5.4pt; height:13.2pt">

1

0in 5.4pt; height:13.2pt">

REWOLINSKI, Steve-O, 8

0in 5.4pt; height:13.2pt">

Icaro WRE700

0in 5.4pt; height:13.2pt">

1180

0in 5.4pt; height:13.2pt">

2

0in 5.4pt; height:13.2pt">

HAGEWOOD, Bo, 18

0in 5.4pt; height:13.2pt">

Aeros Combat 2

0in 5.4pt; height:13.2pt">

1158

0in 5.4pt; height:13.2pt">

3

0in 5.4pt; height:13.2pt">

STRAUB, Davis, 24

0in 5.4pt; height:13.2pt">

Air ATOS C

0in 5.4pt; height:13.2pt">

1073

0in 5.4pt; height:13.2pt">

4

0in 5.4pt; height:13.2pt">

PRESLEY, Terry, 12

0in 5.4pt; height:13.2pt">

Moyes Litespeed

0in 5.4pt; height:13.2pt">

960

0in 5.4pt; height:13.2pt">

5

0in 5.4pt; height:13.2pt">

HAYWOOD, John, 16

0in 5.4pt; height:13.2pt">

Wills Wing Talon

0in 5.4pt; height:13.2pt">

849

0in 5.4pt; height:13.2pt">

6

0in 5.4pt; height:13.2pt">

HUNTER, Brian, 22

0in 5.4pt; height:13.2pt">

Aeros Stealth

0in 5.4pt; height:13.2pt">

793

0in 5.4pt; height:13.2pt">

7

0in 5.4pt; height:13.2pt">

FINGER, Jim, 23

0in 5.4pt; height:13.2pt">

Wills Wing Talon

0in 5.4pt; height:13.2pt">

791

0in 5.4pt; height:13.2pt">

8

0in 5.4pt; height:13.2pt">

CARTER, Kevin, 4

0in 5.4pt; height:13.2pt">

Moyes CSX

0in 5.4pt; height:13.2pt">

750

0in 5.4pt; height:13.2pt">

9

0in 5.4pt; height:13.2pt">

JOHNSTON, Joe, 19

0in 5.4pt; height:13.2pt">

Wills Wing Talon

0in 5.4pt; height:13.2pt">

701

0in 5.4pt; height:13.2pt">

10

0in 5.4pt; height:13.2pt">

CARDEN, Eric, 10

0in 5.4pt; height:13.2pt">

Moyes Litespeed

0in 5.4pt; height:13.2pt">

699

Teams:

0in 5.4pt">
0in 5.4pt; height:19.5pt">

Team

0in 5.4pt; height:19.5pt">

Total

0in 5.4pt; height:19.5pt">

BUBBLE BOYS

0in 5.4pt; height:19.5pt">

538

0in 5.4pt; height:19.5pt">

BELOW ME

0in 5.4pt; height:19.5pt">

509

0in 5.4pt; height:19.5pt">

BLIND SQUIRRELS

0in 5.4pt; height:19.5pt">

453

0in 5.4pt; height:19.5pt">

TRAVEL GUYS

0in 5.4pt; height:19.5pt">

433

0in 5.4pt; height:19.5pt">

SMOKING CHICKENS

0in 5.4pt; height:19.5pt">

340

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Classified ads »

Thu, Sep 4 2003, 4:00:03 am EDT

Bo Hagewood|Florida|Manfred Ruhmer

Aeros Combat|Bo Hagewood|Florida|Manfred Ruhmer

Aeros Combat|Bo Hagewood|Florida|Manfred Ruhmer

Bo Hagewood «bokodi» sends in his request to have me highlight his and Paris’ Aeros Combats that are for sale. He hasn’t got the word yet that the Oz Report now has a free classified ad section (https://ozreport.com/freeClassifieds.php). I gently remind him, and use the opportunity to remind you all also.

The two most winning Gliders in the US.

 

I've got two great late summer deals on Aeros Combats. My glider has been flown in the two Spring Florida comps (besting Manfred and winning two days in a row), the Midwest regionals (won one day) and the US Nats (won one day). This glider is Full Race and is in excellent condition - $4000.

Paris' glider has only the Midwest regionals (with 3 wins) and the US Nats (another 3 wins). This glider is also Full Race and it is in perfect condition - $4700.

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2003 Team Flytec Training meet

Sat, Aug 30 2003, 4:00:01 am EDT

Bo Hagewood|Curt Warren|Florida|Paris Williams|Quest Air|Warren Windsports

Curt Warren at Warren Windsports «fly» writes:

Three time US National champion Paris Williams, World team member Curt Warren and 2000 US National champion Bo Hagewood will be holding the second annual Team Flytec Training Competition at Quest Air "Home of the Champions" in Groveland Florida this fall.

This is a competition/clinic that is focused on improving all of the skills necessary for XC flying and racing, including thermaling, lines to fly, GPS use, start gates, restricted landing field approaches and more. Teams of 3-4 competitors will rotate to a new team leader each day, with whom they will first cover task strategy, and then fly with on the team radio frequency.

This clinic is focused on learning what it takes to go far and fast. Questions will be answered, theories will register and techniques will click. Each day will start with morning coffee and pro tips. Also, get a chance demo some of the very latest high performance gear.

Last years event was very successful with the participants substantially improving their performance with many personal bests. The dates are October 1-4. Space is limited so reserve your space now. The cost for this clinic is $200 (+ tows). Please email Quest Air at «questair».

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US Competition Success

Fri, Aug 22 2003, 2:00:05 pm EDT

Bo Hagewood|Dan Johnson|Oleg Bondarchuck|Wills Wing|Worlds

Bo Hagewood|Dan Johnson|Wills Wing|Worlds

Bo Hagewood|Dan Johnson|Oleg Bondarchuck|Oleg Bondarchuk|Wills Wing|Worlds

Bo Hagewood|Dan Johnson|Oleg Bondarchuck|Oleg Bondarchuk|Wills Wing|Worlds

G. W. Meadows «gw» after seeing Martin’s numbers on the ongoing Worlds in Brazil writes in to highlight the recent US competition scene:

I read with interest your article regarding glider prices in the U.S. As you know, we at U.S. Aeros have been staunch believers in trying our best to keep hang gliding as affordable for the masses as we possibly can. We are credited by many in the hang gliding industry as being the reason why all topless gliders are not costing well over $6000 currently. We think that all of the topless gliders competing currently are extremely high performing gliders and are made by some great companies. Any comments below, are not meant to put down any manufacturer - rather it is simply to lift up Team Aeros.

Regarding your comment: “If a manufacturer can increase the demand for his product by perhaps making it look really good in competitions, than the price can go up.”

I would like to point out that even though Aeros has dominated the U.S. comp scene this year, we have still worked hard to keep the pricing at the low end of the spectrum. We're very proud that that we can produce a 'top of the line' glider and bring it to market for the price that we can.

I'm not sure how many of your readers have been tallying up (Dan Johnson style) the statistics on U.S. wins this year, but here's the numbers.

Out of 26 tasks flown in U.S. meets this year, here's how the flex wing wins stacked up:

Aeros 10 task wins, Moyes 10 task wins, Icaro 6 task wins, Wills Wing 0 task wins

Of course, we all know that just winning a task isn't the 'end all' of a competition. The pilots must fly consistently to win the meet. To that end, here's how the competition "wins" stacked up this year for the U.S. Flex wing Comp circuit:

Aeros 3 wins, Moyes 0 wins, Icaro 1 win, Wills Wing 0 wins

Again, I bring this up only to point out that even though we're having great success on the U.S. comp circuit and demand for our gliders has increased substantially, we're still working hard to keep the price low. This has been a 'staple' of our business model since day one and we're quite proud of it.

I would like to take this opportunity to thank our great team this year. Paris William - U.S. National Champion, Bo Hagewood, Jerz Rossignol and Canadian team pilot Tyler Borradaille. Our international team consists of many pilots and to mention them here would be quite the list, but of course I must thank team leader Oleg Bondarchuck. These folks devote most of their life and a large portion of their income chasing a dream. My hat's off to these guys (as well as the team pilot for all the other manufacturers) for having the guts to follow their hearts.

(editor’s note: Any other hang glider manufacturer have a comment on my and Martyn’s articles on gliders at the Worlds and their associated prices?)

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2003 US Nationals – front/cu-nimb to the north »

Wed, Jul 30 2003, 5:00:01 pm EDT

Bo Hagewood|Brian Porter|Joe Nance|US Nationals|US Nationals 2003

Bo Hagewood|Brian Porter|Campbell Bowen|Joe Nance|US Nationals|US Nationals 2003

http://www.flytec.com/usnats03/scores.html

The scores won’t be up until tomorrow morning.

The front that’s been to our north was forecasted to come our way today/this evening. Looks like a good day tomorrow and through the rest of the week.

Given the high probability of overdevelopment today we call for race tasks so that if we have to stop a task due to a cu-nimb at goal, everyone gets the same start time. The rigids start their race at 1:15 PM and the flexies at 2:15 (in order to accommodate the launch situation).

At first we call a task straight to the south to run away from the front fifty miles to our north. Then as the noon launch time approaches the sky to the south fills with cu’s some of which already have strong vertical development. The northern sky is still clear. The task committee quickly finds a dog leg 68 mile task to the west and then to the northeast with the south looking ominous. Of course that puts us closer to the front.

The rigid wings get off soon after 12:15 and find that as forecast the cloud base is lower than it has been, around 7,000’ MSL (4,500’ AGL). The lift is generally weaker than forecast, but it is earlier in the day (which also helps explain the lower cloud base).

We gaggle up at the start circle circumference 5 miles out, all but Campbell Bowen who is further to the north and actually closer to the optimum start location. The lift is barely there as we can’t quite get up to cloud base for the start.

With a race start at 1:15 we are all off together heading west toward an intersection in the middle of nowhere. We find a little patch of lift right away and given the weak stuff that we’ve been finding stop for it. It’s a poor thermal and finally Joe Nance and Rob Gleason leave it low heading out in front. I’m above them going with them to their right. The rest of the gaggle finally decides to go with us and we are quickly in desperation mode.

I shade further and further to the north as during our four mile glide I drop from 4,000’ AGL to 1,500’ AGL. Joe and Ron are even lower at 800’ AGL and it looks like they are going to land now two miles to our south west. We stop when we see our sink rates decreasing and go into search mode.

It’s difficult just to get into the positive zone as we feel around. Four gliders are now just a mile to our east slowly turning. Jim Yokum, I and another glider are too low to join them. Joe and Ron run smack dab into the best thermal around and rocket up at 700 fpm. Campbell is way to our north high and climbing fast. A couple of gliders have gone on and our out of view to the east.

The three of us slowly climb out of the hole that we’ve dug for ourselves, happy to find 100 fpm. The four rigids west of us come back and join us in the lift as it gets better at our place and we climb out to 7,000’. After twenty five minutes of struggle we are up and out of there.

I charge ahead finding better lift and soon leave the gaggle behind. I’m desperately trying to catch Joe, Ron, Campbell and Bruce who are now out of sight in front of us. The clouds look good to the south of the course line and I get myself lined up in a cloud street getting twenty five miles in forty minutes and climbing to 8,500’.

The flexies are on the course line at 2:15 and given the slow pace that we set in the beginning, they couldn’t be too far behind. I take the turnpoint and still can’t see any of the rigids who got ahead of the rest of us. I head for the big cloud just past the turnpoint and don’t find any lift. I head for the next good one. No lift there. I go from 6,000’ AGL to the ground without finding lift.

Campbell is out in front but soon Bruce and Ron pass him just past the turnpoint. To the north the front has blown up and the ground is shaded. There is some lightning, gust fronts, and rain showers. You can see the cu-nimbs to the north of the goal, which is thirty miles to the northeast of the turnpoint.

Campbell will fly north of the course line to within seven miles of the goal at Ackerly, see the gust front below him, and decide to turn and head for Big Spring to the southeast. The cu’s to the south that were threatening in the morning, turn benign and it looks like we should have stood by our original task.

The guys I left behind will make goal. Ron and Bruce will get very close. Apparently only Bo Hagewood of the flex wings will make it through the gloom to goal. Paris will run into a rain squall and head to Big Spring.

Kathy Lee is at goal and reports only a sprinkle or two there. No gust fronts or lightning. The over development covers 100’s of square miles from just south of Ackerly north. South turns out to have been the better bet.

The Swifts take a day off as Brian Porter’s car was stolen last night. Two hang glider cars have been broken into at the Super 8 motel, and now Brian car is stolen. There will be a stake out there tonight.

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Flytec/Quest Air WRE – a little fly

Thu, Jul 10 2003, 5:00:00 pm EDT

Bo Hagewood|Geoff Lyons|George Stebbins|Lawrence "Pete" Lehmann|Mike Barber|Oz Report|Quest Air|Ron Gleason|tow|Zapata

First of all thanks to my good buddy and loyal Oz Report reader Marc Wiscman aka High Flyer (sic) for his very useful URL that updates us on Claudette’s progress.

http://www.nhc.noaa.gov/ftp/graphics/AT04/AL0403W.GIF

Well Claudette’s a ways away yet, and the winds were out of the south today, and the cu’s were forming early here in Zapata so we all went out to Renato’s field for a little fly. Sure there was a front a few hundred miles to our north which turned the winds from south to west, but the sky was beautiful, no cirrus for once, and the cu’s were lining up.

As we drove out the cu’s dried up as the temperature rose and the inversion layer was hit. There were still a few cu’s but with the strong inversion layer and dry air above, they formed and collapsed within a minute or two.

Because of the lack of thermal markers we wait until almost 11 AM when Bo takes off with me right behind him. I get a tow over to the east to get over the north south paved road 4 miles to the east. With the wind at 170 to 180°, I figure why not get over a nice road and not be left out in the boonies behind locked gates.

The down side of this strategy is that it leaves me free to race and not do everything to stay up. I’m down 21 miles out in 28 minutes. It sure was fun though. Great air, nice light thermals, and very fast and easy retrieve.

Bo gets low out in the boonies and has to work it back up. I raced past him but to my own detriment. The rest of the pilots didn’t take off for another hour given the skinny rare clouds above them.

Scott Huber – 20 miles, Pete Lehmann – 16 miles, George Stebbins – 12 miles, Mike Barber – 18 mile cross wind back to the Zapata County Airport, Ron Gleason – 125 miles where he landed after not finding any lift from 5,000’, Bo Hagewood flew back toward him for a ride back home but didn’t quite make it (but did get the ride). Ron was straight north of Renato’s at Pearsall on I35, our most eastern flight yet.

Claudette has slowed down in her approach toward the Texas coast. We are thinking of moving the WRE north to Big Spring for the last week. Geof Lyons had a 275 mile flight out of Big Spring in the nineties.

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Flytec/Quest Air WRE – a little flight to Laredo

Mon, Jul 7 2003, 2:00:00 pm EDT

airspace|Bo Hagewood|cloud|David "Dave" Glover|David Glover|glide ratio|Ken Ward|Lawrence "Pete" Lehmann|Mike Barber|Paris Williams|Quest Air|Ron Gleason|Swift|tow

When the clouds first form at 9 AM a strange thing happens. They form into lenticulars at 2,000’. It appears that the winds just above the forming clouds are going faster than the winds that the clouds are forming in. This lasts for about 45 minutes then the clouds take on their normal cumulus shape.

I’m first in the air at 9:55 for a 1000 meter MSL high tow to a 1000’ over cloud base. It is so beautiful and smooth up there and the wind is blowing strong out of the southeast. This high a tow is perfect for making sure that you can make it to the St. Ignacio road, the first pubic road to the north.

I find lift at 1,700’ AGL and work it back to cloud base 2,200’ AGL. For the most part I find that the lift is better with 300’ of cloud base, that it drops off to about half strength between 300’ and 600’ below base, and that I must work a bit above zero 1000’ below cloud base.

Therefore I try to stay high right under the cloud, but there is a problem. The winds are taking me toward the Laredo airspace and I need to jump cloud streets. Whenever I do I get down below cloud base in the weaker lift and have to slowly work my way back up again.

The lift is plentiful and consistently under the forming clouds, it’s just that I’m working between 1,000’ and 2,000’ AGL throughout the flight. There’s no problem staying up but there is a problem going where you want to go with a twenty mile an hour wind that wants to put you into the airport.

I’m really enjoying the flight especially working with the light lift and really maximizing it. I drifting quickly over areas that will require long walk outs if I go down there, so I’m very motivated to stay up no matter how weak the lift or how low I am.

I can hear everyone behind me flying and a few of them seem to have forgotten or never understood that they have to get around the airspace early on. Some are just drifting downwind toward Mexico.

Finally as I approach Laredo I lose my focus as I’m over more friendly territory, I’m afraid that I won’t be able to get around the airport, and I want to get going faster if I’m going to have a long flight. The morning forecast was not that good with lots of moisture to the north, so it’s hard to get real motivated for a long flight. I land at 34 miles out a little later 11 AM. Everyone else goes down behind me.

These early morning flights are quite special. During glides I had an average glide ratio of 71:1. During climbs I was averaging only 67 fpm. The third of the time while gliding that I was actually rising I averaged 280 fpm.

Tomorrow we move to a launch area twenty miles to the east to make it easier to get around the Laredo airport.

Scott Huber is here with an ATOS, Ken Ward with a Swift. Bill Ayers with a flex wing as well as Chuck (so his boss won’t know he’s here). Pete Lehmann, Mike Barber, Paris Williams, Bo Hagewood, Ron Gleason, David Glover, and Dave Prentice. Junko left for Austria this morning.

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NTSS points going into the US Nationals

Sat, Jul 5 2003, 2:00:01 pm EDT

Australia|Bo Hagewood|Bubba Goodman|Campbell Bowen|Carlos Bessa|Claire Vassort|Curt Warren|Davis Straub|Dennis Pagen|Florida|Jerz Rossignol|Jim Lee|Jim Yocom|Kari Castle|Mark Bolt|Mike Barber|NTSS|NTSS ranking|Paris Williams|US Nationals|Worlds|Worlds 2003

Here’s now things stack up with the NTSS points this year going into the US Nationals in Big Spring at the end of the month. This 2004 NTSS ranking isn’t the one that is used for the 2003 Worlds in Brazil, but is the current NTSS points accumulation for 2002 and 2003.

Mike Barber didn’t go to Australia and cut his knee at the Wallaby Open so he doesn’t have a fourth high points meet. Kari, Jerz, and Curt where at the meets in Australia and got points there.

Claire is doing very well moving up. Dennis Pagen also. A lot could change at the Nationals. The Nationals is a very important meet this year as far as NTSS points are concerned. There are just three big points meets this year in the US – the Florida meets and the Nationals. The CXCC and the MidWest Regionals had fewer points.

Flex wings:

OzReport.com/Glide/2004class1ntss.htm

1 Williams Paris 2263
2 Warren Curt 2120
3 Bessa Carlos 2035
4 Rossignol Jerz 1992
5 Castle Kari 1920
6 Barber Mike 1766
7 Lee Jim 1738
8 ZIMMERMAN Chris 1728
9 Hagewood Bo 1609
10 PRESLEY Terry 1596
11 Pagen Dennis 1451
12 SAUER Richard 1355
13 Goodman Bubba 1338
14 VASSORT Claire 1327
15 Bolt Mark 1222

Rigid wings:

OzReport.com/Glide/2004class5ntss.htm

1 BARMAKIAN Bruce 1825
2 Straub Davis 1578
3 Yocom Jim 1439
4 GLEASON Ron 1432
5 BIESEL Heiner 1396
6 Bowen Campbell 1350
7 ENDTER Vincent 1316
8 POUSTICHIAN Mark 1032
9 LAMB James 883
10 DEGTOFF Mike 837

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WRE 500! – free hang gliding lessons for drivers

Tue, Jun 17 2003, 2:03:08 pm EDT

aerotow|Bo Hagewood|David "Dave" Glover|David Glover|instruction|Paris Williams|record|students|tandem|world record|World Record Encampment|XC

David Glover <david@davidglover.com> writes:

The WRE will be providing FREE hang gliding lessons (Tandem Aerotow) to a lucky few during the 2003 Flytec World Record Encampment. The lucky one or two students will get tandems in exchange for retrieval driving for WRE XC participants.

Instruction available from past National Champions and World Record setters - Bo Hagewood, Paris Williams, etc. Hang out and learn from the very best. To apply email <mailto:david@davidglover.com>. See https://OzReport.com for more info on this years Flytec WRE.

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Kitty Hawk’s Hang Gliding Spectacular

Fri, Jun 13 2003, 6:03:05 pm GMT

Andrew "Drew" Harris|Bo Hagewood|cart|competition|Doug Haber|Jamie Shelden|Kendrick "Ken/Kenny" Brown|Kitty Hawk Kites|Paul Voight|photo|Ryan Voight|weather

Doug Haber <hgspectacular@yahoo.com> writes:

Kitty Hawk Kites would like to thank everyone for coming out to this year’s 31st Hang Gliding Spectacular! Although the weather only allowed one day of competition, the conditions were great and everyone competed from our tallest dune at Jockey's Ridge (http://www.jockeysridgestatepark.com). Also we were able to fly on the beach, when the comp was blown out, just like last year and everyone had a great time!

Here are some tips for next year. First, show up even if the weather is forecasted to be bad! We are very confident that even if we can't compete we can often fly at some of our other sites and just have fun. Sometimes we have go-cart races, bowling or just show up at our favorite locals joint, Tortugas Lie(http://www.tortugaslie.com) for some Guinness on tap!

Second, be prepared for some more exciting relay and ring grab contests. We had gliders racing down the hill one at a time letting the novices go first and scored each team’s total time. It was truly a lot of action for the spectators and a lot of fun for the competitors. Just ask the Flytec bikini team!

Third, stay tuned to our website for updates as we will add content and information at least once every month. This years event photos should be on the website soon. Also feel free to join our Yahoo club (http://groups.yahoo.com/group/hgspectacular) and just get emailed the important stuff.

Finally, pilot profiles (http://www.hangglidingspectacular.com/pilotprofiles.html) may be emailed to <hgspectacular@yahoo.com>. And remember, if you’re grinnin' your winnin! Ok so here's how it ended up.

2003 Hang Gliding Spectacular and Air Games Winners http://www.hangglidingspectacular.com/winners.html

Dune competition (Advanced): 1st place: Bo Hagewood (Pretty Work Bo!) 2nd place: Ken Brown 3rd place: Kevin Coltrane

Dune competition (Novice): 1st place: "Dude" 2nd place: Byron Dail 3rd place: Tied: Chuck Sinon and Everett Bacon Air Games competition: Blown out

Team winners: Four old guys and a young punk Ken Brown Byron Dail Jon Thompson Ryan Voight Paul Voight

Team Relay Winners: Flytec bikini team Andrew Harris Bo Hagewood Jamie Sheldon Flavia Vieira Lois Neubauer

Bowling Pin competition: Lois Neubauer

Current Photo gallery: http://www.kittyhawk.com/events/spectacularpics.cfm. For more information about the world's oldest continually held hang gliding competition go to: http://www.hangglidingspectacular.com or email: <Bruce@kittyhawk.com>.

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WRE-500!

Tue, May 20 2003, 4:00:05 pm EDT

Betinho Schmitz|Bo Hagewood|comic|Comic Sans|Dave Sharp|David "Dave" Glover|David "Dave" Sharp|David Glover|Davis Straub|Josh Cohn|Kari Castle|Larry Tudor|Lawrence "Pete" Lehmann|Manfred Ruhmer|Mark Poustinchian|Mike Barber|Miles Fagerlie|Paris Williams|record|Will Gadd|world record|Zapata

Oh, when first you try to come up with a list, what a bunch of complaints (legitimate) you get.

Hang glider flights over 300 miles

Pilots

Miles

Place

Year

Mike Barber

437

Zapata, TX

2002

Manfred Ruhmer

435

Zapata, TX

2001

Davis Straub

407

Zapata, TX

2001

Andre Wolf

399

Zapata, TX

2002

Mark Poustinchian

369

Zapata, TX

2001

Davis Straub

347

Zapata, TX

2000

Pete Lehmann

321

Zapata, TX

2002

Paris Williams

318

Zapata, TX

2001

Betinho Schmitz

312

Zapata, TX

2001

Dave Sharp

311

Zapata, TX

2000

Bo Hagewood

308

Zapata, TX

2001

Larry Tudor

308

Rock Springs, WY

1994

Larry Tudor

303

Hobbs, NM

1990

Paraglider flights over 225 miles

Will Gadd

262

Zapata, TX

2002

Marcelo Prieto

251

Zapata, TX

2002

Dave Prentice

243

Zapata, TX

2002

Santiago Baeza,

236

Zapata, TX

2002

World records (including Kari Castle’s two world records and David Glover’s rigid to goal record also at Zapata) and other records can be found at https://OzReport.com/compWorldRecords.php.

Also note that the furthest paraglider flight to goal is the non homolgated flight from Zapata by Josh Cohn of 192 miles (on a flight of 200 miles) in 2001. The official world record is 172 miles set in Brazil last November: http://records.fai.org/hang_gliding/current.asp?id1=o-3&id2=1

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WRE-500!

Sun, May 18 2003, 1:00:04 pm EDT

the WRE 500!

André Wolfe|Betinho Schmitz|Bo Hagewood|Dave Sharp|Davis Straub|Godfrey Wenness|Manfred Ruhmer|Mark Poustinchian|Mike Barber|Pete Lehmann|PG|Will Gadd

Long flights:

Longest Flights Ever In A Hang Glider
PilotsMilesPlaceYear
Mike Barber437Zapata, Tx2002
Manfred Ruhmer435Zapata, Tx2001
Davis Straub407Zapata, Tx2001
Andre Wolf399Zapata, Tx2002
Mark Poustinchian369Zapata, Tx2001
Davis Straub347Zapata, Tx2001
Pete Lehmann321Zapata, Tx2002
Betinho Schmitz312Zapata, Tx2001
Dave Sharp311Zapata, Tx2001
Bo Hagewood308Zapata, Tx2001
Larry Tudor308Hobbs, Nm1994
Larry Tudor303Hobbs, Nm1990
Longest Flights Ever In A Paraglider
PilotsMilesPlaceYear
Will Gadd262Zapata, Tx2002
Dave Prentice243Zapata, Tx2002
Godfrey Wenness208Mt Borah, Oz1998
Will Gadd179Hobbs, Nm1998
Alex François Louw175Kuruman, Sa1992

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My nose

Thu, May 8 2003, 8:00:05 pm GMT

"Awesome" Bob|accident|Andrew "Drew" Harris|Bo Hagewood|competition|crash|Dean Funk|Florida|harness|helmet|injury|Joseph Salvenmoser|Kate Diamond|Kathleen Rigg|Mike Barber|Quest Air|safety|Sepp "Seppi" Himberger

Kathleen Rigg <Kathleen.Rigg@btinternet.com> writes:

First of all I'd like to thank everyone in Florida who helped and encouraged me after my nasty nose accident at Quest Air in early April. In particular I'd like to thank "Awesome" Bob, Frank, Drew and Dave Prentice for the excellent first aid and immediate call to the emergency services. I wasn't a pretty sight and they made all the difference to make me feel more comfortable and to speed my trip to the hospital. I'd also like to thank Dean Funk, Bo Hagewood & Kate Diamond for rescuing me from the hospital afterwards and especially Frank and May (owners of the airport at Quest) who very kindly provided full use of their air-conditioned home after the accident.

Following my accident and a few others in Florida this spring there was a lot of talk about coated VS uncoated nose wires amongst the pilots including a poll held at the Wallaby competition to determine the pilot's point of view on the subject. There was a lot of emotional discussion about "banning" uncoated wires following both my accident and Mike Barber's.

However, on further examination of the crash evidence on my glider I can only reach one conclusion about the cause of my serious nose injuries. At first, I thought I had swung across the nose wires with the glider still in a right turn and caught my nose on the 1x19 uncoated wires. But there was major damage to both sides of my nose with much worse damage on the left hand side. On reflection something didn't seem right about the crash analysis.

Then when short packing my glider to come home to the UK, I noticed a serious dent on the underside of the left hand leading edge inches from the nose plates. This had obviously been caused by my helmet hitting the leading edge. Therefore I had actually swung parallel to the nose wires and not across them. I must be the unluckiest person really because I caused the damage to my nose by violently pushing my nose into the apex of the 2 nose wires right up by the swages and the nose catch. A few inches to either side would have probably saved me a lot of trouble.

This is confirmed by the fact that I can only find blood actually on this part of the nose wires and also that I remember feeling my nose hit a solid piece of metal at the time of the crash and actually remember thinking that I had hit the nose plates with my nose (which is of course impossible). This scenario explains the extensive damage which occurred simultaneously down both sides of my nose which I do not believe could have been caused by a single wire cut.

The issue of coated or uncoated really was not relevant to my crash. In fact the swages at the apex of the nose wires are coated in plastic which made no difference to my injuries. I also suspect having a harness with a single suspension point and no rope front to rear did not help as this lack of a restraining rope on my shoulders allowed my head to more easily rotate and slide underneath the leading edge and the nose of the glider. Perhaps with a restraining shoulder rope I would have rotated my head in a more upwards motion towards the keel and missed the wires at the nose of the glider.

I hope the above helps pilots to make a more reasoned decision about the coated/uncoated wire issues. It is also highly possible that Mike Barber's sliced knee accident was caused by the rear of his carbon base bar and not any uncoated wires as an identical injury happened to Seppi Salvenmoser recently. It is important to understand the true causes of accidents and analyse them by considering all the evidence before jumping to conclusions and taking the incorrect decisions about future safety issues. In future I will be flying with a full face helmet with a visor and I now have a really good excuse to have any shape nose I want

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Going to the Midwestern Regionals

Sat, May 3 2003, 3:00:02 pm EDT

Bo Hagewood|Campbell Bowen|Davis Straub|NTSS|Paris Williams|Ron Gleason|Russell "Russ" Brown

http://www.hanggliding.com/

So far I’ve heard that Bo Hagewood, Paris Williams, Mark P., Russell Brown, Davis Straub, Campbell Bowen, Ron Gleason and maybe others are going to this meet. It’s worth 250 NTSS points minimum. If you want to go, but sure to sign up before May 7th.

Discuss the midwest regionals at OzReport.com/forum/phpBB2

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USHGA NTSS Ranking

Sat, Apr 26 2003, 1:00:02 pm EDT

Bo Hagewood|Bubba Goodman|Campbell Bowen|Carlos Bessa|Chris Arai|competition|Curt Warren|Davis Straub|Glen Volk|Jerz Rossignol|Jim Lee|Jim Yocom|Jim Zeiset|Kari Castle|Mark Bolt|Mike Barber|NTSS|NTSS ranking|Paris Williams|USHGA|Worlds

Flex wings:

1 Williams Paris 2413
2 Barber Mike 2263
3 Warren Curt 2120
4 Rossignol Jerz 2046
5 Bessa Carlos 2035
6 Castle Kari 1922
7 Lee Jim 1921
8 Hagewood Bo 1804
9 ZIMMERMAN Chris 1798
10 Volk Glen 1784
11 PRESLEY Terry 1679
12 Bolt Mark 1634
13 Arai Chris 1602
14 SAUER Richard 1468
15 Goodman Bubba 1458

This is the flex wing NTSS ranking that determines who goes to Brazil on the US National team. There are six members of the team. Carlos is eligible for the US or the Brazilian national team. He says that he will fly for the US. You might notice the number of points separating sixth and seventh place.

Rigids:

Rank Pilot Total
1 BARMAKIAN Bruce 1825
2 Straub Davis 1578
3 Yocom Jim 1439
4 GLEASON Ron 1432
5 BIESEL Heiner 1396
6 Bowen Campbell 1350
7 ENDTER Vincent 994
8 LAMB James 883
9 DEGTOFF Mike 837
10 Zeiset Jim 800

The current ridge wing ranking doesn’t affect anything as any US pilots can go fly in the pre-Worlds in Greifenburg if they like.

The full NTSS pilot ranking will be up next week after it gets reviewed. Check out OzReport.com to find the NTSS ranking under the competition menu item.

Discuss the national team and Brazil at OzReport.com/forum/phpBB2

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The Aeros Target Team

Sat, Apr 5 2003, 5:00:06 pm EST

Aeros Target|Alexander Voronin|Bo Hagewood|David "Dave" Glover|Davis Straub|photo|Quest Air

Dave Glover snapped this photo of Bo Hagewood, Alexander Voronin, and Davis Straub. Team Target here at Quest Air. Alexander Voronin is the managing director of Aeros and has been enjoying himself here at Quest Air and over at Sun ‘n Fun.

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Getting data to ⁢CIVL »

Fri, Mar 14 2003, 4:00:08 pm EST

Bo Hagewood|CIVL|Jim Lamb|World Pilot Ranking Scheme

As you can imagine it is quite a job taking the results of competitions and calculating world rankings. Even if the designated WPRS system sucks, the work still has to be done by Paul Bowyer, until the CIVL Plenary votes on a new ranking system.

Competition meet organizers are supposed to send in Race databases that contain the unique information about each pilot and the results of the competition. Unfortunately many meet organizers fail to do this. And even if they do send in the Race database, there is no unique pilot identification that allows the results to automatically update the world ranking database.

I see Paula struggling with this, and I certainly have to for the US NTSS system. Trying to figure out Brazilian names and nick names (I think that they do this on purpose and also use PDF just to get at CIVL), is a horrendous piece of work. There is such no consistency.

Also meet organizers are not dealing with FAI Sporting licenses or entering those numbers into the database, so that unique number can't be used. Some meet organizers were sending in spread sheet, PDFs, HTML, and even GIF versions of the final results. I'd love to force them to have to retype in the pilot names and results.

I know I have to do a lot of hand work to get the data straight. Now was the Jerz Rossignol or Jersy Rossignol, for example. Everything is tied to the pilot's name. James or Jim Lamb? Bo Hagewood?

Sure would be nice if we could cooperate here.

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More at the other demo daze

Wed, Mar 12 2003, 10:00:04 pm GMT

Bo Hagewood|G.W. Meadows|Just Fly|Metamorfosi|Quest Air

G. W. Meadows <gw@justfly.com> writes:

I saw in your last Oz Report, an announcement about the demos at Quest Air in approximately two weeks. I am always getting calls from all over the country from folks wondering where they can see all of our products. I suppose that this is the place and the time (albeit a little late notice).

We will have at Quest Air for these demo days: 1 demo Stalker 2, 2 sizes of Combat 2, at least one “hot-off-the-presses” Discus, 2 Targets, the hot new Viper harness, our drag chutes, speed sleeves and hand fairings.

Likewise, Just Fly will have its line on hand for you to peruse - our great Icaro helmets that we bring into the U.S from Italy, the Metamorfosi parachutes and drag chutes and the famous HOT WHEELS. It’s gonna be ‘one stop shopping”.

Bo Hagewood (former National Champion) will be our onsite expert. We look forward to doing this on an even larger scale in years to come. We’ll give you more notice next time.

Please note: the new Icaro 4fight integral helmet will not be on hand. Production runs on those have not come out of the ‘oven’ yet. We’re hoping to have those in stock by the Florida comps – but it’ll be a squeaker.

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Join the FRE(E)

Wed, Mar 12 2003, 10:00:01 pm GMT

Bo Hagewood|Bob Lane|Curt Warren|Davis Straub|Florida Record Encampment|Mark Poustinchian|Quest Air

Bob Lane at Quest Air <questair@mpinet.com> writes:

Want to warm up for the WRE or just can't make it to Texas? Quest Air is pleased to announce, for the month of May, the first FRE(E). (Florida Record Encampment). The will be no charge for the FRE(E) you just pay for your tows and pitch in for retrieve.

Quest Air has organized the FRE(E) to give pilots who would not be able to participate, or would like to warm up for the WRE, a chance to take advantage of the great Florida flying and possibly win some prizes.

The best of the best XC pilots will be at the FRE swinging for the fence trying to claim over $4000 in prizes. Top Pilots, including record holders and former record holders, will be going for the Florida and east coast records.

You can fly with the top guys like two time US National Champion Paris Williams, former National Champion Bo Hagewood, world record pilots Davis Straub and Mark Poustinchian, US world team member Curt Warren, plus many others. Please come with a clear mind, ready to absorb vast amounts of knowledge from some of the most experienced XC pilots in the world. These top guys will hold weather briefings and strategy sessions daily. Private and semi private in-flight training and guiding will be available by appointment (this part won’t be free :).

Are you tired of beating your nose cone into a shredded Mylar mess? Landing clinics will be offered on overcast (less than ideal XC) days. If you have never flown XC and would like to, we will also be offering restricted landing field clinics so we can get more aspiring XC pilots going for the big miles safely at the FRE.

For more information contact Bob at Quest Air 352.429.8600 or email <questair@mpinet.com>.

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Going to Quest Air

Sun, Feb 23 2003, 9:00:04 am GMT

Bo Hagewood|David "Dave" Glover|Florida Ridge|Paris Williams|Quest Air|Steve Kroop|Wallaby Ranch

When we arrive in Florida this year we plan to stay at Quest Air. Of course, that was before Malcolm put up the big bucks for the big flights from Wallaby. We hope to be down at Wallaby for the Wills Wing Days and the Wallaby Open.

Why Quest Air?

Well, first of all we felt that it was time to try out the “other” flight park (in addition to the two additional flight parks in Florida). We felt that they deserved a chance to put up with us for a few months. It only seemed fair.

Second, we were attracted by the go for it cross country atmosphere that has been so much on display at Quest for the last few years. Yes there are big time cross country pilots at Wallaby, but that hasn’t been as much in evidence the last two years. I was rather subdued last year after my special fun in Australia, and because I lacked a glider.

I see the cross country pilots at Quest going far at every opportunity, or trying to set triangle records. I am looking forward to more pilots helping pump up the enthusiasm.

I don’t know which park is the best park for really long cross country. It might be the Florida Ridge, as they could ride the convergence right up the middle of the state. On the other hand Wallaby always seemed to have better clouds earlier than Quest.

On the other hand, Quest is further up the state and that gets you away from the coast lines quicker, and lets you take the southeast days, not just the south-southeast and south days for long flights. It might be smarter to get into the panhandle quicker or up into Georgia quicker for those 300 mile days.

Third, we’re looking forward to that flight park wide wireless network with the high speed DSL connection. I heard from Malcolm that he’s also in the wireless network business and I look forward to bringing my portable his way also.

I’m looking forward to hanging out with David Glover, Steve Kroop, Bo Hagewood, Paris Williams, and all my other buddies at Quest. I will miss spending as much time with my friends at Wallaby, but hope to see a few of them in the air, and when I come down to visit there.

I love the fact that there is a wide selection of successful flight parks in Florida, all of them quite different in their own ways. It really is a big benefit to the hang gliding (and paragliding) community and I look forward to the strong cooperation that will be needed between Wallaby and Quest Air if they get the Worlds bid.

Will we like staying at Quest as much as we have loved staying at Wallaby Ranch? We have no idea. Given the strong personnel there, we are willing to give it a try and see if it meets our own idiosyncratic needs. I’ll be sure to report on how it goes.

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Nick’s Glider

Sat, Feb 1 2003, 11:00:05 am GMT

Angelo Mantas|Nick Kennedy

Angelo Mantas writes:

Apparently I'm the one that has lowered the Telluride HG population to one, since Nick Kennedy sold me his Stealth II.

This is the condition the glider was in when it arrived at my home. Despite the utter carelessness shown by the shippers, I thought I had dodged the bullet, as I set it up it appeared undamaged, until I looked in the sail.

The right aluminum x-bar had been dented. Never, ever, use Bollocks shipping or Southwest Motor Transport. Fragile, handle with care stickers (those neon orange labels you see) were all over the tube, but it looks like the shippers used them for targets when they were ramming it with their fork lifts.

(editor’s note: This is standard practice. Fragile stickers mean nothing. The glider was clearly inadequately packed and protected. I suggest looking at the packaging used by the manufacturers.)

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Florida Competition

Sat, Feb 1 2003, 11:00:04 am GMT

Bo Hagewood|Campbell Bowen|Curt Warren|David "Dave" Glover|Davis Straub|Mark Poustinchian|Mike Barber|Mike Degtoff|Paris Williams|Quest Air|Ron Gleason

Mark Poustinchian <mpousti2000@earthlink.net> writes:

The air is getting very nice in Florida. The last few days we have been tearing up the sky and the large number of local and visiting pilots at Quest Air has been great. Yesterday I flew about 4 ½ hours and never got below 1800’. Most of the times I was high and flying at high speed glides. My Stalker is getting tuned and thanks to Mike Degtoff’s tips who has been playing with it for a long time, it is flying great. Now, I can go faster with ease and the climb nicely in thermals. I flew to Wallaby and back and landed at Quest Air close to 6 pm just before dark.

I wrote a little about it with charts, statistics and 3D paths and added it to my web space. Here is a link to the web page containing the details.

http://home.earthlink.net/~mpousti2000/Flights/1-30-2003/Questairwallaby.htm

I was wondering about what would be the best way to get ready for the Florida comps and came up with an idea. We have some great pilots flying at Quest Air and Wallaby. So, why don’t we have friendly competitions when all of you guys get back from Australia. The Quest Air’s team members would consist of our local pilots.

Quest Air’s team would be as following;

Paris Williams, National USA Champion year 2001, 2002

Bo Hagewood, National Champion year 2000

Curt Warren, great comp pilot with impressive finishes in the competitions

Ron Gleason, first place winner on his first competition in Australia in Class 5

Campbell Bowen, First place winner in class 5, last summer at US Open in Big Spring Texas

Luis, our Brazilian tug pilot and very impressive hang glider pilot. When he is off his wheel chair and in his harness, he is hard to beat in the air.

Mark Poustinchian, Florida, East Coast and Midwest record holder for open distance (234 miles from Quest Air), triangle (120 miles from Quest Air) and out and back (118 miles from Quest Air).

Wallaby team would consist of following;

Davis Straub, top USA pilot with very high ranking in class 5, World record holder for open distance in class 5 and bunch of other records.

Mark Barber, with the longest flight in the World, 437 miles and very high USA ranking

Carlos Basa, great tug pilot and very impressive comp pilot

I can’t think of anybody else, because I don’t fly there and don’t know the rest of locals there, sorry. You guys come up with another 4 great pilots and we call it even ;-).

We can do this on good weekends before the real comps and can meet at either flight park and with help from David Glover and the rest of the crew, we would have some interesting tasks and see what happens. Of course if it looks like it is going to be record days for open distance, we can call an open task or huge triangles or out and back which would set new records.

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The never ending fires »

Tue, Jan 28 2003, 7:00:01 pm GMT

fire

You can find a local view of the fires around Mt. Beauty from Tony at the Alpenhorn at www.alpenhorn.com.au/fires. He writes:

We had a pretty hairy night last night - stayed up till after 2pm monitoring for spot fires. The Bogong Hill fire got quite close to town - crossed over down near the Rock Pool and there were a few fires on the Golf Course - that were easily put out - but all at 2am this morning.

Still pretty grim here - we feel safe but everyone is verging on exhaustion. We have been fully booked with police/firies for a couple of days now. National Mountain Bike Championship probably to be transferred to October. There is talk of a "wine lead recovery."

I heard that the road up Mt. Emu has been greatly improved through grading by bulldozers brought up to fight the fire. The fire went through the launch area so things should be pretty cleared out. During the fires, we also scouted a new launch area above Mt. Beauty that faces north. It should be pretty cleared up by now also.

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Bo in Combat

Tue, Jan 28 2003, 7:00:00 pm GMT

Aeros Combat|Aeros Viper|Aeros Viper harness|ATOS|Bo Hagewood|Combat|harness|Jerz Rossignol|Kari Castle|Stalker

Bo Hagewood <bokodi@hotmail.com> writes:

I wanted to remind everyone how much I enjoyed flying the Aeros Combat II and the new Aeros Viper harness. Unfortunately, last year Jerz, Kari and I helped the Aeros glider earn a bad landing wrap due to our inability to terminate a flight without the loss of one or more downtubes. This problem has been fixed. I'm proud to say that my one year old glider still has all the original parts.

After flying in all three Australian meets I am convinced that it has a better higher speed glide than any of the other flex wings. I think it almost keeps up with the ATOS-C.

Hopefully, I won’t make as many mental mistakes in Florida and give this glider the placing that it deserves. Let's get back to Florida and set some more records. I know Mark Pistachio and his Stalker are hungry.

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